Somalia’s government has announced that its national army, in collaboration with international security partners, has killed at least 49 al-Shabab fighters in a military operation in the southern Lower Shabelle region. The operation, which took place on Tuesday evening in the village of Bulo-Madino, targeted militant positions and resulted in the destruction of several vehicles and a weapons cache used by the al-Qaeda-linked group.

According to the Ministry of Information, elite Somali forces worked alongside the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) to carry out the operation. Residents in the nearby Afgoye district reported hearing powerful explosions late Tuesday, which shook the ground, although they were unclear about the exact targets or casualties. A local bus driver, Ali Farah, described the incident, saying, “Last night, the whole earth shook. We heard two huge air strikes.”

The United States military, which has conducted multiple airstrikes against al-Shabab this year, stated that it was not involved in Tuesday’s operation. In a separate statement, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre said that government forces have made significant gains against the insurgency, killing over 600 al-Shabab fighters, wounding 1,200 others, and retaking 68 settlements over the past three months. This is part of a broader effort to dismantle the insurgency through a “comprehensive military, economic, and ideological war.”

The Lower Shabelle region remains a long-time stronghold of al-Shabab, where Somali forces, backed by international allies, have intensified operations to reclaim rural areas and cut off the militants’ supply routes. The recent operation is a significant development in the ongoing conflict, as the Somali government continues to work towards stabilizing the region and defeating the al-Qaeda-linked group. With the support of international partners, the government aims to build on these gains and ultimately bring an end to the insurgency.