Al-Shabaab militants on Sunday, 2 August 2026, seized control of the Teedaan area in eastern Hiiraan region following two days of intense fighting that forced Somali government forces and allied Macawisley clan militias to withdraw from the area.

The fighting involved Turkish-trained Gorgor special forces and local allied militias against Al-Shabaab fighters, according to security officials who spoke to Kaab TV.

On Saturday, Al-Shabaab launched an assault on the area, capturing villages on the outskirts of Teedaan. The attack prompted Somali government troops and their allied local fighters to retreat towards Beledweyne, the capital of Hiiraan region.

“Early this morning, they launched another attack involving explosions and heavy fighting. After several hours of clashes, Al-Shabaab captured Teedaan,” said Mohamud Siyaad, who warned that residents of Beledweyne were becoming increasingly concerned because Teedaan lies along a strategic route connecting Beledweyne with central Somalia.

The capture of Teedaan brings Al-Shabaab closer to Beledweyne and threatens a key road linking the city with central regions.

“After the Khawarij [Al-Shabaab] captured Teedaan, the biggest concern is the main road around Bacda that leads to Guriceel through Matabaan. The reason is that the militants want to restore the tax collection system they previously operated, especially the money collected from vehicles travelling towards Bosaso,” said Khadar Maraay, who is based in Hiiraan.

He expressed concern that the Federal Government and Hirshabelle administration had taken no immediate action despite Al-Shabaab intensifying its offensive in Hiiraan over the past two days.

Teedaan is located approximately 75 kilometres from Beledweyne and about 315 kilometres from Mogadishu.

Residents of Beledweyne are now questioning Al-Shabaab’s next move following the capture of Teedaan, which marks the return of much of the territory the group controlled in 2021.

Across eastern Hiiraan, areas that were retaken from Al-Shabaab during military operations in 2022 and 2023 have largely fallen back under the group’s control following the seizure of Teedaan on Sunday.

Casualties and military losses

Both sides suffered casualties during the fighting.

Al-Shabaab claimed in a statement that it killed 40 soldiers and wounded 61 others. The group’s claims have not been independently verified.

Local sources said the militants also captured a Toyota 4WD vehicle equipped with a mounted weapon.

The Somali Federal Government and Hirshabelle administration have not yet commented on the fall of Teedaan or addressed growing public concerns over Al-Shabaab’s movements.

What do Al-Shabaab’s latest advances mean?

Over recent months, Al-Shabaab has concentrated much of its military activity in Middle Shabelle and Hiiraan regions, where it has recaptured several areas.

Government forces that had been stationed since 2023 in areas including Aadan Yabaal, Masaajid Cali Gaduud, and Xawaadley withdrew from those positions without major clashes with Al-Shabaab fighters leading the militants to re-capture.

The group now appears to have shifted its focus back towards Hiiraan.

According to Bile Cali, after spending nearly a year focused away from Hiiraan, Al-Shabaab’s return has created a growing security concern among residents of the region.

Officials from the Hiiraan regional administration have not provided a response regarding public fears or the group’s expanding activities in the region.

The latest Al-Shabaab offensive comes amid declining international support for Somalia and financial challenges affecting the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), with concerns growing over shortages in logistics, supplies, and operational resources for security forces.