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.

The post Over 150 Somali Soldiers and Clan Militia Surrender to Al-Shabaab in Middle Shabelle appeared first on Kaab TV.