On Wednesday, Somalia announced the capture of a senior al-Shabaab member in the central Galgadud region. The Somali National Army (SNA) detained Ali Geelle, a prominent figure within the militant group, during a military operation in Galhareeri district. The operation also resulted in the confiscation of a vehicle, a firearm, and ammunition. Geelle is reported to have been involved in extortion and the recruitment of children for the organization.
For the past two and a half years, the SNA, alongside local militias, has been engaged in combat against al-Shabaab in southern and central Somalia, reclaiming significant territory, including the strategic coastal town of Haradhere in the Mudug region.
Somalia continues to face significant security challenges, primarily from al-Shabaab and ISIS. Since 2007, al-Shabaab has been actively opposing the Somali government and the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), which is supported by the UN Security Council. The group has intensified its attacks following President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s declaration of an “all-out war” against them.
