BELEDWEYNE (Kaab TV) – The militant group Al-Shabaab has captured multiple strategic locations in central and southern Somalia, including Birta Mudan village in Hiiraan and Sabiid and Anoole near Mogadishu, raising alarms over growing insecurity and the apparent absence of a federal response.
On Wednesday morning, Al-Shabaab fighters overran Birta Mudan, located approximately 26 kilometers from Maxaas town in the Hiiraan region.
Residents who fled the area confirmed to Kaab TV that heavily armed militants entered the village on foot.
Local Macawisley militia fighters, who had been present in the area, reportedly withdrew before the group advanced.
Dozens of displaced civilians, fearing reprisals from the group, have since arrived in Maxaas.
There are mounting fears that Maxaas itself could soon be targeted, as it remains one of the few towns in Hiiraan not yet under Al-Shabaab control.
By Wednesday afternoon, clashes were reported on the outskirts of Maxaas between Al-Shabaab fighters and Macawisley militias.
However, casualty figures remain unconfirmed.
Last month, the group also seized Moqokori village, further tightening its grip on the region.
Members of the Hawadle clan’s Macawisley militia, who had been operating in these areas, have accused the Federal Government of failing to provide military or logistical support, allowing Al-Shabaab to reclaim territory with little resistance.
The Somali Federal Government has yet to publicly address the wave of territorial losses in Hiiraan.
Al-Shabaab Advances Near Mogadishu
In a separate but equally concerning development, Al-Shabaab fighters on Sunday captured the villages of Sabiid and Anoole in Lower Shabelle, just 7 kilometers from Afgoye and roughly 35 kilometers from the capital, Mogadishu.
The takeover followed the withdrawal of Ugandan troops from the African Union Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), who had previously maintained security in the area.
Eyewitnesses told Kaab TV that the militants entered the district administration offices, police station, and a local market constructed with support from USAID, the U.S. development agency.
Neither the South West State authorities nor the Federal Government have issued any statements about the fall of these villages, despite their proximity to the capital.
Al-Shabaab has also increased its presence along the critical Mogadishu–Jowhar corridor, a development that could severely impact movement and trade between the capital and the Hirshabelle regional administration.
Security officials in Mogadishu have issued warnings over possible Al-Shabaab terror attacks in the capital as the group continues to expand its reach and influence.