Somalia: How Al-Shabaab captured Moqokori town from Govt forces

MOQOKORI, Somalia - The strategic town of Moqokori within the Hiiraan region becomes the latest location to fall to Al-Shabaab in Somalia, reflecting deep confusion about the result in the ongoing fight against the group, which controls large swathes of rural central and southern regions.

Al-Shabaab militants recaptured Moqokori, a town they lost in September 2022 following a local uprising led by Ma’awisley fighters. According to reports, the Macawislay fighters lost the town after a suicide bombing and heavy attack.

Before unleashing bombs, the militants turned off the network connection, but have turned on, locals said. These officials said that, made it almost impossible for the soldiers and the local fighters to coordinate a response against the militants.

For the better part of Monday, the situation in Moqokori remained fluid. It’s reported that a suicide car bomb was detonated in the town by al-Shabaab, followed by fierce fighting on the outskirts. Another explosion was reported between Moqokori and Gumare, where several people died.

Moqokori is symbolically important - it has been one of the towns seized from al-Shabaab nearly three years ago (though it changed hands before that). Local Ma’awisley fighters lost a leading anti-al-Shabaab elder (Elmi Hagar) between Cel Qoxle and Moqokori, analysts say.

Also, the fall of Moqokori means al-Shabaab will have a lot of areas to manoeuvre in the east of the Hiran region. The movement between Beledweyne and Maxaas could also be compromised.

Last week, heavy fighting was reported in Gumare village, southeast of Moqokori town, between government forces supported by Ma’awisley fighters on one side and al-Shabaab militants.

The commander of the 27th battalion, Major Salim Omar Ahmed, who was leading the operation, told state media they killed 15 militants and destroyed one pick-up vehicle, officials said at that time.

Local sources supported the government version of the fighting, confirming that al-Shabaab militants who have been attempting to advance to Moqokori town were inflicted losses and have been pushed back to Cel Qoxle village, which they seized several days ago.

Al-Shabaab on their side claimed killing 15 government soldiers and injuring 25 others during today’s fighting, a claim that has not been independently verified. The fall of Moqokori comes months after the Somali National Army lost Adan Yabaal town.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who has been in Egypt, believes the national army is on the right path, but recent history shows that the security teams are losing strategic ground to the Al-Qaeda-affiliated militants.

GAROWE ONLINE