ClanConflict somalia Archives - Kaab TV

Bloody Clan Conflicts Escalate in Southern and Central Somalia

Staff Reporter — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 08:16:51 +0000

MOGADISHU (Kaab TV) – Inter-clan conflicts are increasingly spreading inside Somalia, particularly across several regions of the country, causing significant loss of life and injuries and posing a serious threat to civilian security and stability.

These clashes, fueled largely by the widespread availability of weapons in the hands of clan militias, are rapidly expanding across multiple regions. Areas most affected include Hiiraan, Middle Shabelle, Lower Shabelle, Gedo, Bakool, Galgaduud, and Mudug.

The conflicts are primarily rooted in longstanding clan rivalries, especially disputes over access to water resources, grazing land, and territorial boundaries. In addition, unresolved cycles of revenge killings between clans—stemming from past incidents—have resurfaced and intensified, further escalating violence.

Clan militias are reportedly using heavy weaponry, including anti-aircraft guns and armored vehicles, which has significantly increased the scale and severity of casualties and destruction resulting from these clashes.

Ongoing Conflicts and Affected Areas

Lower Shabelle Region – Active fighting has been reported in the districts of Yaaqbiri Weyne and Wanla Weyn, as well as in villages under Afgoye and Qoryooley districts.

The conflict in Yaaqbiri Weyne reportedly began following a dispute over the management and control of the local livestock market. The confrontation involves members of the Gaaljecel, Raxanweyn, and Habar Gidir clans. According to available information, more than 14 people have been killed, including two women and two children, with many others injured.

Tensions are also high in Marka, the administrative capital of the Lower Shabelle region, where fears of renewed violence persist.

Lower Shabelle is one of Somalia’s most resource-rich regions, known for its agricultural production, livestock, and fishing resources. However, despite its economic importance, large parts of the region remain under the control of the Al-Shabaab militant group, complicating security efforts and peace initiatives.

Overall, the continued spread of inter-clan violence, combined with the proliferation of heavy weapons and weak governance, is deepening Somalia’s humanitarian and security challenges, particularly for civilians living in conflict-prone rural and semi-urban areas.

Militias in Galgaduud using armored vehicles.

The administration of the Lower Shabelle region has stated that the recurring conflicts are causing setbacks to the security of the region.

Middle Shabelle – Clashes are ongoing in the Middle Shabelle region, particularly in the areas of Mahaday and the outskirts of Jowhar, where the Jareer and Abgaal clans are fighting. Meanwhile, fighting between the Gaaljecel and Jareer clans is taking place along areas bordering the river, while the Cabdalla Caroone and Celi clans are in conflict over Cadalle.

In the Qalimow area, militias from the Moobleyn and Jareer Weyne clans are engaged in fighting.

These conflicts have resulted in the deaths of at least seven people.

Hiiraan – Middle Shabelle – For several weeks, clan fighting has been ongoing along the border between the Hiiraan and Middle Shabelle regions, involving the Xawaadle and Abgaal clans. The conflict stems from revenge killings linked to earlier incidents.

Traditional elders who attempted to resolve the dispute said they failed after militias accused of killing people in the Ceel Baraf area earlier in January this year were not apprehended.

The Hirshabelle administration has not officially commented on this conflict.

Meanwhile, earlier this month, the Matabaan district administration in the Hiiraan region expressed concern over an inter-clan conflict taking place in Matabaan district. The Xawaadle and Habargidir clans have carried out brutal killings against each other in the district, and the fighting is still ongoing.

Bakool – In Xudur district of the Bakool region, clashes have erupted between clans living in the same area, following disputes arising from killings and the rape of women that occurred in the area.

The death toll from this conflict has now reached nearly ten.

Efforts by members of the Southwest State administration have so far failed to fully resolve the conflict.

Several months ago, the administration of the Southwest State of Somalia announced that it would take strict measures to hold accountable those accused of inciting inter-clan violence.

The conflicts are taking place in southern and central Somalia.

Galgaduud:
Galgaduud Region, one of the areas most severely affected by clan-based conflict, has witnessed the outbreak of several battlefronts. Militias from the Mareexaan and Dir clans are engaged in intermittent fighting in the Xeraale area and the town of Caabudwaaq.

According to local media reports, the death toll from these clashes reached 18 as of last Saturday.

In the Cadaado area, a prolonged conflict between the Mareexaan and Habargidir clans has caused significant loss of life, claiming the lives of dozens of people, including children. Meanwhile, in Dhuusamareeb District—the administrative capital of Galmudug—rival militias from the same sub-clan of Habargidir have been fighting each other, recently killing several people.

The Galmudug administration has issued repeated appeals for peace, but a lasting solution to the conflict has yet to be achieved.

The administrations of Puntland and Galmudug are also struggling to contain clashes between the Leelkase and Habargidir clans, which have killed more than 20 people, mostly rural residents, including women.

Gedo:
In Luuq District of the Gedo Region, fighting between the Mareexaan and Raxanweyn clans has erupted again, stemming from a land dispute. Jubaland officials had previously announced that the conflict had been resolved; however, violence has since resumed.

As a result of the renewed fighting, more than 700 people have been displaced from Luuq District, most of whom have not yet been able to return to their homes.

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Over 150 Somali Soldiers and Clan Militia Surrender to Al-Shabaab in Middle Shabelle

Kaab TV News Editor — Sun, 15 Jun 2025 21:11:58 +0000

MOGADISHU (Kaab TV) – In what is described as the largest single-day surrender in recent times, more than 150 members of the Somali National Army (SNA) and Ma’awisley clan militia reportedly surrendered to the Al-Qaeda-linked militant group Al-Shabaab in Middle Shabelle region on Saturday.

The mass defection took place in Xawaadley, a strategic town located approximately 50 kilometers northeast of Mogadishu.

The armed men, most of them belonging to the Jareer Weyne clan, were welcomed by Al-Shabaab fighters and reportedly handed over their weapons in exchange for cash and amnesty.

A Somali security officer based in Jowhar, who is familiar with the situation, confirmed the incident.

“Al-Shabaab contacted them and offered a deal—cash in return for their guns. The group also granted them amnesty upon surrender,” said the officer.

The surrendering fighters were reportedly part of the Afjar Brigade in Middle Shabelle.

Sources say many among the Jareer Weyne militia had been experiencing severe shortages of food and water and felt abandoned by the government forces they had been supporting.

Their disillusionment was further aggravated by long-standing grievances over marginalization and recent political tensions.

One key factor cited by the community was the death of General Sheegow Ahmed Ali, a Jareer Weyne military officer who was arrested by Hawiye clan-affiliated soldiers in Mogadishu in late 2023.

He died in government custody in April 2024, an incident that triggered widespread protests in the capital and deepened ethnic divisions within Somalia’s security forces.

The Somali Ministry of Defense has not issued a statement regarding Saturday’s surrender.

Meanwhile, Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the event, announcing through its media channels that it had received government troops and clan militiamen in Xawaadley.

The group stated that it had launched a “dawra” (religious re-education seminar) for the new defectors—a process often used by the militants to indoctrinate and recruit captured fighters.

Al-Shabaab did not specify the number of people who surrendered.

Xawaadley, a town of significant strategic value along the corridor between Mogadishu and Jowhar, fell into Al-Shabaab control in early June 2025 after Burundian troops from the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) withdrew due to severe flooding.

READ: Al-Shabaab Displays Downed AU Helicopter After Capturing Village Northeast of Mogadishu

The town had previously served as a Forward Operating Base (FOB) for both AU forces and Somali government troops tasked with preventing militant advances toward Mogadishu and the Hirshabelle state capital.

The fall of Xawaadley is part of a broader trend of military setbacks for the Somali government.

In recent months, Al-Shabaab has seized key towns and villages across Middle Shabelle, Lower Shabelle, and Hiiraan regions.

Government forces and allied clan militias have abandoned numerous positions, with internal reports blaming widespread corruption and logistical failures for the continued losses.

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U.S. Upgrades Somalia Travel Advisory to Level 4: ‘Do Not Travel’

Mohamed Jamal — Sat, 17 May 2025 21:35:00 +0000

NAIROBI (Kaab TV) – The United States has elevated its travel advisory for Somalia to Level 4 – Do Not Travel, the highest warning level issued by the U.S. State Department.

This change on 14 May, reflects the growing security threats across the country and underscores the serious limitations in the U.S. government’s ability to assist its citizens in Somalia.

A Level 4 travel advisory means that the U.S. government strongly advises all U.S. citizens to avoid travel to Somalia under any circumstances due to life-threatening risks.

This classification is reserved for countries facing extreme danger, including widespread violence, terrorism, civil unrest, or a breakdown of government control.

In Somalia’s case, the advisory cites terrorism, armed conflict, kidnapping, and limited consular access as key reasons.

U.S. government personnel in the country are restricted to the Mogadishu International Airport complex, where the U.S. Embassy is located, and are not permitted to travel elsewhere in the country.

“Due to security risks, U.S. government employees working in Somalia are prohibited from traveling outside the Mogadishu International Airport complex,” the State Department said.

Although the U.S. Embassy staff stay in Nairobi, the U.S. government has extremely limited capacity to assist citizens in emergencies, particularly outside of Mogadishu.

The advisory warns that terrorist groups, including Al-Shabaab, continue to carry out frequent and deadly attacks using methods such as car bombs, suicide bombers, armed gunmen, and mortar and rocket attacks.

The advisory warns that terrorist groups, including Al-Shabaab, continue to carry out frequent and deadly attacks.

On March 18, Al-Shabaab bombed Mogadishu city centre, killing several people including Somali journalist. Around the same time, the group escalated attacks on Mogadishu’s airport, including mortar fire.

The U.S Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has also issued a Special Federal Aviation Regulation, banning certain U.S. flights over Somali airspace due to risks from extremist and military activity.

Political Tensions and Deepening Crisis

The U.S. warning comes at a time when Somalia’s political environment is increasingly unstable.

The country faces unresolved disputes over the constitution, federal power-sharing, and the role of the federal member states.

Tensions between the central government in Mogadishu and regional states such as Puntland and Jubbaland have worsened, hindering national reconciliation and state-building efforts.

In recent months, there has been a notable increase in reports of militia recruitment and arming by rival political factions and clans, raising fears of a return to large-scale factional fighting.

In several regions, clan rivalries have intensified, leading to local clashes and displacement further threatening the fragile stability in key parts of the country, including Mogadishu.

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