MOGADISHU, Somalia — October 1, 2026 — Residents reported hearing loud explosions in several areas around Wanlaweyn district in Lower Shabelle on Thursday morning, shortly after three F-16 jets reportedly took off from Mogadishu toward the Shabelle regions.
The blasts were reported near Tabeelaha, about 16 kilometres east of Wanlaweyn, and Yaaq-Bariweyne, around 18 kilometres west of the district. Residents also reported hearing aircraft and explosions to the north and south of Wanlaweyn.
The cause of the explosions was not immediately known. The information available did not identify who may have carried out any strikes, what may have been targeted or whether anyone was injured.
The reported flight of three F-16 jets from Mogadishu came a short time before the explosions were heard, according to the accounts. Residents in the Wanlaweyn area said they believed some of the aircraft they heard were F-16s, but the aircraft involved in the reported sounds could not be independently identified.
It was also unclear whether the jets’ reported movement toward Lower and Middle Shabelle was connected to the explosions near Wanlaweyn. No details were available about the flight’s route or mission.
The reports came amid accounts of Al-Shabaab movements in parts of both Lower and Middle Shabelle over the past two weeks. Sources also cited activity near the Shabelle River and Beerta Ali Mahdi, an area outside Mogadishu. The accounts provided no confirmed figures for the number of fighters or details about their movements.
Earlier Clashes Near Mogadishu
The reported movements follow fighting in recent weeks near Beerta Ali Mahdi and areas close to Basra, according to accounts provided to this newsroom. Government forces later withdrew from the area, those accounts said.
The latest reports place attention on several areas across the two Shabelle regions, including communities east and west of Wanlaweyn and locations outside Mogadishu. Residents in Wanlaweyn described hearing blasts across multiple directions, but the available accounts did not establish whether the sounds came from one incident or several.
Security Situation
The reported explosions and aircraft activity occurred as local accounts described continued security concerns in Lower and Middle Shabelle. The information provided did not include a statement from Somali security authorities or a detailed account of the situation after the blasts.
There were no confirmed reports of casualties, damage or displacement by the time the accounts were shared. It was also not clear whether security forces had been sent to the reported locations or whether further operations were under way.
The current situation in the areas where explosions were reported remains unclear. The available information establishes that residents heard blasts near Wanlaweyn and that three F-16 jets were reported taking off from Mogadishu toward the Shabelle regions, but it does not confirm a direct link between the two developments.