The town, which had been liberated from the al-Qaida-linked group in September 2022 during a government-backed uprising led by Hawadle clan fighters, fell back into militant hands after a coordinated raid involving four suicide car bombings, followed by a ground assault.

The Somali government has not officially commented on the attack, which marks one of the deadliest in the region this year.

According to multiple sources interviewed by Kaab TV, the attack began in the early hours of Monday after Al-Shabab fighters reportedly disabled local telecommunications networks, cutting off the town from outside communication.

The militants then launched their assault using Turkish-made armored vehicles rigged with explosives.

“Al-Shabab terrorists attacked us early Monday morning. They used four armored trucks as suicide bombs — it was impossible to stop them,” said Adan Gedi, a Ma’awisley fighter who survived the attack.

The armored vehicles used in the bombing are believed to be among the military hardware previously seized by Al-Shabab from Somali forces during past operations, including equipment originally donated by Turkey.

Following the explosions, Ma’awisley fighters and government troops reportedly fled the area, allowing Al-Shabab militants to storm the town.

Witnesses said the insurgents were later seen patrolling the streets, while many residents fled in fear.

Among those killed was Abdi Muumin Xiish, a senior Hawadle commander and the recently appointed head of Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) in Hiiraan.

Reports of Betrayal and Lack of Support

Survivors expressed anger at what they described as a lack of government support and alleged internal sabotage.

Multiple frontline accounts shared with Kaab TV claimed that Ma’awisley fighters were instructed to stand down during critical moments in the fighting — and some even alleged that drone strikes mistakenly targeted their own ranks.

“The drones didn’t come for Al-Shabab — they hit our men,” said Abdi Mohamud, another fighter. “Al-Shabab came from Lower Shabelle, Middle Jubba, Bay, and Bakool. Nobody stopped them. No intelligence, no warning.”

Liban Abdirahman, Deputy Minister for Internal Security in Hirshabelle State, acknowledged the limitations of relying solely on local militias.

“This war can only be led by a government, not by locals. For four years, these brave men have fought alone. Many have died. Too many resources have been lost,” he said.

“The federal government and international partners must step up. Instead, they appear distracted by elections and political maneuvering.”

Security experts warn that Al-Shabab is expanding both its operational reach and propaganda efforts, particularly in Hiiraan, Lower Shabelle, and Middle Shabelle.

Local elders report that some clans are entering bey’ah — an Islamic agreement of submission — with the militants, seeking to avoid further bloodshed.

Al-Shabaab seizes Turkish-donated armored vehicle, amid a deadly battle in central Somaliahttps://t.co/NIGgnFc8MC pic.twitter.com/QxULkfONAr

— Kaab TV (@KaabTV) December 26, 2023

Meanwhile, divisions within Somalia’s security forces and deepening clan rivalries have raised further concerns.

The group’s infiltration into government ranks has bred mistrust within the military and intelligence services.

While these security challenges mount, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is facing criticism for focusing federal attention and resources on Sanaag region, where tensions are rising between Puntland forces and SSC-Khatumo, a new local administration.

“The Somali government is losing towns and villages to Al-Shabab at a frenetic pace,” said Rashid Abdi, a Nairobi-based regional analyst.

“Yet Villa Somalia continues to deploy troops and airlift weapons to Sanaag to back proxy factions. Fighting Al-Shabab should be the top priority — but sadly, it never has been.”

The fall of Moqokori raises urgent questions about Somalia’s ongoing counterterrorism strategy and its ability to defend liberated territories as it faces continued attacks from one of Africa’s most lethal insurgencies.

The post Suicide Bombs, Armored Vehicles, and Betrayal: How Moqokori Fell to Al-Shabab Again appeared first on Kaab TV.

According to Omar Abdukadir, a commander of the Hawadle forces, their fighters killed Nur Abdi Roble, a 47-year-old mid-level al-Shabaab leader who had been commanding militant operations in central Somalia.

“Today we engaged in another intense battle with the terrorist group,” Abdukadir said. “By the grace of God, our fighters killed Nur Abdi Roble, who was leading the al-Shabaab militia in the region.”

He also emphasized that the Somali federal government played no role in the operation. The confrontation follows several days of fighting in the area.

Last week, al-Shabaab launched coordinated suicide car bomb attacks on Ma’awisley positions in Ceel Hareeri and Moqokori, killing dozens of clan fighters in an effort to breach their defenses.

The Somali national army had recently withdrawn from parts of the Hiiraan region, leaving the local militia to confront the militant group alone.

Former Minister Abdullahi Godah Barre criticized the federal government’s lack of support, saying, “The people of Hiiraan are fighting alone without any support from Mogadishu.”

Meanwhile, African Union forces recently withdrew from Xawaadley town, located about 50 kilometers northeast of Mogadishu.

The pullback allowed al-Shabaab to regain control of the area.

Government and allied clan forces loyal to President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud have also reportedly retreated from much of the Middle Shabelle region, effectively ceding control to the militants.

President Mohamud has come under scrutiny following reports of secret talks with al-Shabaab.

He recently reappointed Mahad Mohamed Salad as head of the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), a figure alleged to have longstanding ties to the terror group.

In a related development, Abdullahi Mohamed Ali “Sanbalolshe,” a prominent figure from the Hawadle clan and former intelligence chief, was dismissed from his post—fueling speculation over internal divisions within the government.

READ: Chaos and Looting Follow African Union Troop Withdrawal in Somalia’s Xawaadley, Allowing Al-Shabaab Takeover

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According to sources within the army, the withdrawal followed the execution of six Hawadle soldiers by a rival clan last Thursday in El Baraf.

Armed clan militia reportedly ambushed the soldiers in their vehicle before killing them at point-blank range.

In response, the Somali government dispatched Intelligence Director Abdullahi Mohamed Ali Sanbalolshe and the SNA Infantry Commander to Jowhar on Friday to address the situation.

Despite these efforts, soldiers stationed at Hawadley positions in Middle Shabelle began vacating their posts along the frontline with Al-Shabaab in protest over the killings.

A jubilant crowd greeted the arriving Hawadle forces in Jalalaqsi on Sunday evening.

Celebrations included loud music, gunfire into the air, and clapping by men and women lining the streets.

Hirshabelle President Ali Abdullahi Hussein Guudlaawe condemned the killings.

However, attempts to prevent the soldiers from leaving the frontline have so far proven unsuccessful.

There has yet to be any official comment from the Ministry of Defense or the Somali National Army command regarding the incident.

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According to security officials in Jowhar, the soldiers were traveling from their base when their vehicle was ambushed by the rival clan Ma’awisley militia.

All six soldiers were killed at point-blank range, while a seventh soldier survived but remains unaccounted for.

Jalalaqsi District Commissioner Nuur Dheere confirmed the attack was likely clan-related, as the victims were targeted based on their clan identity.

All six slain soldiers were members of the Ma’awisley militia from the Hiiraan region who joined the Somali army in the fight against Al-Shabaab.

Hirshabelle State President Ali Abdullahi Hussein Guudlawe condemned the killings as a “brutal and un-Islamic act,” stating that it violated Somali cultural values and human rights.

“This heinous act goes against Islamic law, Somali morals, and human rights. I am ordering the security forces to bring the perpetrators to justice within 24 hours,” read a statement from the presidency.

Heightened Tensions

The incident has inflamed pre-existing tensions between the Hirshabelle State government and the Hiiraan clans.

El Baraf has been the center of ongoing clashes between Hawadle and Abgaal militias, and the attack has further destabilized the region.

On Friday, more than 250 Somali National Army (SNA) soldiers from the Hawadle clan vacated their base in Hawadley village, located 18 kilometers from Jowhar, the seat of the Hirshabelle state.

Hawadley serves as a key buffer zone for Jowhar, hosting Somali Army forces engaged in combating Al-Shabaab militants who control much of the surrounding region.

The withdrawal of the SNA soldiers from strategic positions pose significant risks to the security of Jowhar.

The withdrawal of Hawadle soldiers was a direct protest against the El Baraf incident.

Later Friday, Somali National Intelligence and Security Agency Director Abdullahi Mohamed Ali (Sanbalolshe) and SNA Infantry Commander Khalid Abdullahi arrived in Jowhar via a helicopter from Mogadishu.

Sanbalolshe, a member of the Hawadle clan, and Khalid Abdullahi, a former Al-Shabaab defector and ex-Jubaland intelligence commander who was later promoted to SNA infantry commander, are reportedly planning to visit Hawadley to defuse tensions and persuade Hawadle forces to return to their positions.

In Jowhar, Hirshabelle State President Guudlawe held an emergency meeting with advisers and elders from his clan on Friday afternoon.

Sources told our reporter the meeting aimed to address the unfolding crisis and explore ways to restore stability.

A source at the regional president’s office suggest that Abgaal clan elders, alongside Hirshabelle State officials, are attempting to offer diya (blood money) to the Hawadle clan for the six soldiers killed in El Baraf to settle down the crisis.

Meanwhile, the crisis is spreading beyond Middle Shabelle.

In Beledweyne, tax officials at the Hirshabelle revenue collection point in Bundo Weyne vacated their posts on Friday, handing the facility over to rival Hiiraan State.

This move was widely interpreted as a protest against the killings in El Baraf, but officials we spoke to are hoping to cool down the situation.

The post As Tensions Rise in Hirshabelle, SNA Soldiers Abandon Posts Over El Baraf Killing appeared first on Kaab TV.