Somali army says it killed more than 75 al-Shabaab militants

Somali forces killed more than 75 al-Shabaab militants and wounded another 56 during an hours-long battle in the country’s southwestern Bay region, the Defense Ministry said Tuesday, according to Anadolu Agency.

The fighting began after al-Shabaab militants attacked a Somali military convoy carrying supplies between the towns of Leego and Burhakaba in South West state.

Troops operating under Operation Banooda fought to repel the attack and protect the convoy, the ministry said.

During the battle, militants drove a vehicle loaded with explosives toward a Somali army position, but it detonated before reaching its target, the ministry said.

The ministry said the army would continue pursuing al-Shabaab militants and those who provide them with support or shelter. The casualty figures could not be independently verified.

The Somali government refers to al-Shabaab as “Khawaarij”, a term it uses for the al-Qaeda-affiliated group, which has fought government forces and African Union peacekeepers since 2007.

Since July, the Somali army, backed by the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) and other international partners, has intensified operations against the group.

The UN Security Council renewed AUSSOM’s mandate in December 2025, extending its authorization until Dec. 31, 2026.