The Federal Government of Somalia has announced that elite DANAB special forces carried out a coordinated security operation in several areas under Afgooye District in the Lower Shabelle region, leading to the arrest of suspected Al-Shabaab fighters and the seizure of a cache of weapons.
In a statement, authorities said the operation targeted locations believed to be linked to the militant group’s activities in the region. Security forces reportedly recovered AK-47 rifles, handguns, grenades and materials allegedly intended for the manufacture of improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
The government said the latest operation forms part of an intensified military campaign against Al-Shabaab in Lower Shabelle, a region that has long served as a strategic corridor for the group due to its proximity to the capital, Mogadishu.
Officials noted that the ongoing offensives are being conducted jointly by the Somali National Armed Forces (SNAF), including the elite DANAB commando unit and the Gorgor forces, with support focused on dismantling militant hideouts and disrupting planned attacks.
Security officials further stated that sustained military pressure in Lower Shabelle has significantly weakened Al-Shabaab’s operational capabilities, reducing the frequency of attacks targeting military installations and government positions in the area.