New details have emerged from a security operation in which the Somali National Army (SNA) successfully thwarted a series of landmine attacks prepared by the Al-Shabaab militant group in parts of the Lower Shabelle region.
The operation was carried out by troops from the 7th Battalion of the 12th April Division, who targeted areas on the outskirts of Afgooye town. The soldiers dismantled and destroyed several sites where Al-Shabaab militants had planted improvised explosive devices (IEDs) intended to harm civilians and disrupt movement along key routes. The operation specifically covered the villages of omar Beere, Faay Yusuf, and osmaan Dhure, all of which fall under the Afgooye district.
Lieutenant Colonel Mohamed Abdullaahi Araaye, widely known as Foo-Foo, the Deputy Commander of the 7th Battalion who led the operation, confirmed that numerous landmines buried along public roads were neutralized before they could cause casualties. He stated that the explosives had been strategically placed to target civilians using the area’s main access roads.
“The army safely detonated the mines planted by the militants to harm innocent civilians, and our forces continue to pursue the fleeing militants,” Lt. Col. Foo-Foo said, emphasizing the ongoing pressure against Al-Shabaab cells operating in the region.
He added that the troops also destroyed checkpoints and positions where Al-Shabaab had been extorting residents living in villages surrounding Afgooye. According to him, the militants suffered various losses during the operation, though the full casualty details were not disclosed.
This latest operation comes amid an increase in joint security efforts by Somali government forces and AUSSOM troops stationed in Lower Shabelle, who in recent days have intensified their campaign against Al-Shabaab hideouts and supply routes across the region.