Monday September 8, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) — Jubbaland’s regional forces said Monday they conducted a two-day sweep across Gedo aimed at reopening key roads and disrupting al-Shabab activity in one of Somalia’s most contested border regions.
The Darwish command said troops moved along routes connecting Doolow, Luuq and Beled-Hawo, where militants have carried out ambushes and restricted civilian movement. Officials described the mission as part of a broader effort to secure trade corridors and prevent al-Shabab from regrouping in the state.
“The goal is to prevent threats and harm posed by the Khawarij groups against local communities, while reinforcing our control over strategic locations,” the command said in a statement, using the government’s term for the extremist group.
Commanders Mahmoud Abdi Hashi and Mohamed Hassan Bulle, who oversaw the operation, said it unfolded as planned and similar missions will continue. They called on residents to work with security forces in efforts to restore stability across Jubbaland.
No casualties were reported. Authorities said the focus was on clearing and securing roads linking Gedo’s three border towns.
The sweep comes as Jubbaland, one of Somalia’s five federal member states, faces repeated al-Shabab incursions in Gedo, a politically sensitive area bordering Ethiopia and Kenya. The region has seen intensified operations by Somali and allied forces as the country prepares for the drawdown of African Union peacekeepers.
