MOGADISHU, Somalia — August 11, 2026 — Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) said Tuesday that seven Al-Shabaab members were killed and several senior figures wounded during a planned operation targeting a site in Tawakal, in the Lower Shabelle region, as Somali security forces continue operations against the militant group.
NISA said in a statement that its forces conducted the operation with support from Somalia’s international partners after receiving intelligence about the presence of senior Al-Shabaab figures in Tawakal.
According to the agency, the operation targeted a location that Al-Shabaab members used as a meeting point. NISA said several figures holding positions within the militant group were at the site when it was attacked.
The intelligence agency reported that seven Al-Shabaab members were killed. It did not identify those it said were killed or provide details about how the operation was carried out.
NISA also said several Al-Shabaab commanders were wounded, including two figures who suffered serious injuries.
The casualty figures and the identities and condition of those reportedly wounded could not be independently verified. Al-Shabaab had not immediately issued a public response to NISA’s account of the operation.
Senior Al-Shabaab Figures Targeted
NISA identified four Al-Shabaab figures it said were present at the targeted location.
They included Yoonis Macalim Abuukar, whom the agency described as responsible for the Mushaani area, and Abu Xaaji Fareey, whom it identified as the group’s militia commander in Tawakal.
NISA also named a figure known as Ayaatullaahi, whom it described as a commander involved in Al-Shabaab’s operations in the Lower Shabelle region.
The fourth individual was identified as Cabdifitaax Rooble, whom the agency accused of overseeing the collection of extortion payments in the Baladul-Amiin area.
According to preliminary information released by NISA, Yoonis Macalim Abuukar and Cabdifitaax Rooble sustained serious injuries during the operation.
The agency did not disclose the condition of the other figures it said were at the location.
Operation Conducted With International Partners
NISA said the operation was conducted with assistance from international partners but did not identify which country or organization was involved or specify the nature of the support.
Somali security agencies have repeatedly announced operations carried out with international partners against suspected Al-Shabaab positions, including operations targeting commanders, meeting sites and other facilities used by the group.
NISA described Tuesday’s operation as part of continuing efforts to weaken Al-Shabaab’s ability to organize attacks and to target the group’s commanders and operational infrastructure.
The agency urged members of the public to continue providing security authorities with information about suspected Al-Shabaab and Islamic State activity.
Lower Shabelle remains one of the most strategically important areas in Somalia’s conflict with Al-Shabaab. The region lies immediately southwest of Mogadishu and contains major roads connecting the capital with several towns and agricultural areas.
Al-Shabaab has maintained a presence in parts of Lower Shabelle despite repeated military campaigns by Somali government forces and their international partners.
The group has used rural areas of southern and central Somalia to organize attacks, move fighters and supplies, and exert pressure on communities, businesses and government-controlled population centers.
Somali authorities have sought to disrupt those networks through ground operations and intelligence-led strikes targeting militant commanders and suspected operational sites.
The federal government has said eliminating Al-Shabaab’s leadership and financial networks is a central part of its wider campaign against the group.
Al-Shabaab, which has fought Somalia’s internationally backed government for years, continues to carry out bombings, assassinations and attacks against government forces and other security targets.
The reported Tawakal operation is significant because NISA says senior Al-Shabaab figures, rather than only rank-and-file fighters, were among those targeted. If independently confirmed, serious injuries to commanders responsible for local operations and financing could temporarily disrupt the group’s activities in parts of Lower Shabelle.
The location is also significant because of Lower Shabelle’s proximity to Mogadishu. Security developments in the region can affect major transportation routes and areas surrounding the capital, making control of militant networks there a continuing priority for Somali security forces.
