Somali Elite Forces and Jubbaland Troops Strike Al-Shabaab Strongholds in Lower Juba

Critical IntelligenceViolent Extremism

SNA forces as they mobilise to face Al-Shabaab

In a coordinated operation on Monday, the Somali National Army's elite Danab unit and Jubbaland's Dervish forces launched an assault against Al-Shabaab positions in northern Lower Juba. The offensive targeted areas where the militant group was coercively collecting Zakatul Fitr—a mandatory Ramadan charity tax—from local residents.

Military sources confirmed that the joint forces destroyed key militant bases and caused heavy casualties, though the exact number remains undisclosed. Lower Juba remains one of Al-Shabaab’s last remaining strongholds, regularly witnessing clashes between the militants and Somali security forces.

The operation is part of the federal government’s sustained campaign to degrade Al-Shabaab’s operational capabilities nationwide. Backed by allied militias and international partners, Somali forces have ramped up offensives in recent months, engaging the militants across multiple fronts, including Hirshabelle, Galmudug, and the Shabelle regions.