Al-Shabaab fighters entered Balcad district and seized the police station and the town centre, where they remained for approximately one hour before withdrawing.

Eyewitnesses reported that a brief exchange of fire took place at the police station, with the resident troops fleeing the scene.

Al-Shabaab militias had previously been present on the outskirts of Balcad and along the road connecting Jowhar and Balcad, which they control and where they collect money from vehicles at checkpoints.

Balcad is located 38 kilometres from Mogadishu.

No statement has been issued by the federal government or the Hirshabelle administration regarding Al-Shabaab’s brief seizure and subsequent withdrawal from Balcad district.

This attack, in which Al-Shabaab temporarily took control of Balcad, comes as large numbers of troops — including Turkish-trained forces and clan militias — have been deployed to Baidoa, where the federal government seized control from the South West administration the previous week.

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The assault began when Al-Shabaab fighters executed roadside bombings on military positions at the district’s outskirts before launching a large-scale attack. Militants briefly seized some areas but were driven out following a counterattack by Somali government forces, supported by local rescuers.

Government officials reported that the Somali National Army inflicted significant losses on the attackers. “The Somali National Army has dealt a heavy blow to the Khawarij terrorists who attacked Balcad before dawn,” stated a news release from the Federal Government of Somalia, using a term to describe extremist Islamist groups.

Eyewitnesses indicated that at least ten Al-Shabaab fighters were killed during the battle, with their bodies found scattered in fields surrounding Balcad. Security officials are currently assessing the damage sustained by both government forces and civilians, though the official casualty figures have not yet been confirmed.

This attack follows a series of Al-Shabaab assaults in the Middle Shabelle region in recent weeks, as the militant group continues its insurgency despite an ongoing military operation aimed at eradicating their presence.

Al-Shabaab, an Al-Qaeda affiliate, has been waging a violent insurgency in Somalia for over 15 years, seeking to overthrow the internationally recognized government.

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The group stormed a Somali military base, forcing government forces and local militias to retreat before briefly taking control of the town.

The Somali government has since claimed it recaptured Balcad, stating that its forces repelled the attack and inflicted heavy losses on the militants.

However, Al-Shabaab asserts that it killed 23 government soldiers and seized military vehicles left behind by retreating troops.

Eyewitnesses reported seeing Al-Shabaab fighters patrolling the streets of Balcad, waving their black banners, while groups of young men followed them.

Fearing reprisals, many residents fled the town.

Al-Shabaab’s ongoing resurgence

The attack is part of Al-Shabaab’s ongoing resurgence in the Middle Shabelle and Hiiraan regions, where the group has escalated its operations in recent weeks.

“The militants attacked Balcad, took over some parts, and later withdrew. Unfortunately, they remain dangerously close—just three kilometers away. The problem is that there has never been a serious effort to eliminate them,” MP Hassan Muudey said, expressing concern over the group’s growing influence.

The timing of the attack appeared strategic, coinciding with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali’s visit to Mogadishu.

Al-Shabaab has recently intensified its offensives, capturing several rural towns in Hiiraan and Middle Shabelle.

Last week, the group launched a surprise attack on the Aboorey area in Hiiraan, where Macawisley militia fighters from the Hawadle clan were stationed.

In addition, Al-Shabaab militants have seized several areas in Middle Shabelle, including El Ahmed and Al-Kowthar, forcing civilians to flee. Many of these towns were previously controlled by Somali forces and local clan militias. However, internal clan disputes have weakened their unity, leading to divisions within the army.

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Somali Armed Forces officials confirmed that al-Shabaab launched an assault on the outskirts of Balcad. Meanwhile, reports indicate that al-Shabaab briefly captured parts of the district, including the Balcad Police Station, where they freed detained individuals. However, they were later expelled from the area.

“The Somali National Army delivered a decisive blow this morning to the Khawarij militia, who attacked our positions on the outskirts of Balcad,” said the governor of Balcad district in a statement to the media.

Army officials also confirmed that al-Shabaab suffered a heavy defeat during the operation, with bodies of the group’s fighters scattered across the fields of Balcad district.

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The brazen violence served as a stark reminder of the persistent threat the extremist organization poses to the country’s stability and security.

The violent spree commenced on a Friday afternoon when a lone suicide bomber targeted a residential neighborhood in Mogadishu’s Hodan district. The neighborhood housed military officers and other government officials, making it a prime target for the attackers.

The suicide bomber claimed the lives of at least eight individuals, including a prominent military colonel named Abdikarin Ahmed Yusuf, widely known as Afar Shaagle. Additionally, a military general named Abdullahi Qaanso sustained injuries in the attack. Colonel Abdikarin had previously served as the deputy governor of Lower Shabelle, while General Qaanso had been leading recent offensives against Al-Shabaab in the Galgaduud region.

Simultaneously, a heavily armed group of Al-Shabaab militants launched an assault on a security checkpoint in the Tiida area of Dayniile district, located in Mogadishu. The insurgents temporarily overran the checkpoint, wreaking havoc and demolishing a building before eventually retreating. Multiple casualties, including both soldiers and civilians, were reported during the attack.

Al-Shabaab promptly claimed responsibility for both attacks.

In Balcad district, situated in the Middle Shabelle region, another group of Al-Shabaab assailants targeted an ATMIS (African Union Mission in Somalia) base during the early evening. An intense exchange of gunfire ensued between the attackers and forces stationed at the outpost, resulting in the insurgents eventually withdrawing from the area.

Moving to Lower Shabelle region, Al-Shabaab insurgents detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) targeting security forces on patrol in Afgooye town. As of now, there is no official information regarding casualties, and authorities have not made any public statements concerning the attack. Security officers initiated a thorough search operation to identify those responsible for planting the IED.

In the village of Taabto, near the Kenya-Somalia border, militants launched a fierce attack on an ATMIS base on Friday night. A protracted exchange of gunfire erupted between the assailants and security forces, ultimately leading to the withdrawal of the insurgents. Similarly, in Hoosingow, another base manned by the Kenyan forces of the ATMIS faced a similar attack during the early evening hours, according to local accounts.

Al-Shabaab also carried out a daring attack on local security forces in Afmadow town, situated in Lower Jubba region. The extent of casualties resulting from this assault is yet to be determined.

In the besieged town of Diinsoor in Baay region, residents endured a sleepless night as the militants attempted to forcefully enter the town on Friday evening. Local officials, however, reported that security forces successfully repelled the attack, resulting in no reported casualties at the time.

Amidst this wave of attacks, Al-Shabaab took control of the ATMIS military base in Geriley which is just less than 10 kilometres from the Kenyan border and recently handed over by Kenyan forces. The militant group announced its capture of the base on Thursday, raising concerns about the evolving dynamics on the ground.

Somali national army officials have not yet commented on the seizure, leaving the fate of Geriley and the ongoing conflict in the area uncertain.

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