Somali forces kill over 130 al-Shabab fighters in Lower Juba region
The Defense Ministry said Danab special forces played a central role in the operation.
Mogadishu (Somali Report) — Somali government forces killed more than 130 al-Shabab militants during a military operation in the southern Lower Juba region, repelling an attempted assault on the strategic town of Kudhaa.
The Somali Ministry of Defense said Thursday that the operation, led by elite Somali National Army Danab commandos and backed by Jubbaland security forces and international partners, lasted more than 24 hours and ended with government forces fully regaining control of the town and surrounding areas.
“This joint operation inflicted heavy losses on the enemy, killing more than 130 militants and wounding many others after a direct battle in which the forces bravely repelled the attack,” the ministry said in a statement.
Officials said the fighting erupted after al-Shabab launched an assault on Kudhaa, triggering intense ground combat as government and allied forces moved to block the militants from overrunning the town. Authorities said the battle involved close-range engagements, with security forces ultimately forcing the attackers to retreat.
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The Defense Ministry said Danab special forces played a central role in the operation, working alongside Jubbaland Security Forces with support from international partners. Security forces also recovered weapons and vehicles abandoned by fleeing militants, the statement said.
Following the operation, officials said Kudhaa and nearby areas remain firmly under government control, with Danab units and Jubbaland forces maintaining heightened security to prevent any renewed attacks or attempts by al-Shabab to regroup.
“The security of the town and its environs is firmly in the hands of our forces,” the ministry said. The Defense Ministry and Somali National Army command praised what they described as strong coordination and discipline among the forces involved, calling the operation a significant setback for al-Shabab’s presence in Lower Juba.
Lower Juba, which borders Kenya and includes key supply routes and coastal access, has long been a strategic stronghold for the group and remains one of the most contested battlegrounds in Somalia’s long-running conflict.
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