HirShabelle Leader Mourns Death of Senior Military Officer in Al-Shabaab Attack

JOWHAR, Somalia - The president of Somalia’s Hirshabelle region, Ali Gudlawe, expressed condolences on Saturday for the killing of Major Abukar Abdulle Raage Gar-Maqaate, a senior Somali army officer, in an Al-Shabaab attack in Boos-Hareeri on Friday that left several dead.

The assault is part of a surge in Al-Shabaab attacks in Middle Shabelle since Ramadan began, targeting areas under Somali government control. Major Gar-Maqaate’s death adds to the mounting losses of military personnel in the region, where the group has intensified its campaign against bases of Somali forces.

Al-Shabaab retook Al-Kowthar and Boos-Hareeri villages in Middle Shabelle region from Somali troops after attacks, according to the residents.

Somalia’s government has struggled to contain Al-Shabaab since President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud launched a full-scale offensive against the militants in 2022. Heavy casualties, including senior commanders, have hit Somali troops, with the deadliest attack occurring at the Cowswayne military base in August 2023. Al-Shabaab said it killed more than 170 soldiers in the assault near El-dheer town, Galgadud region. 

Gudlawe hailed the officer’s service and pledged to press on with the fight against the insurgents. Middle Shabelle, near the capital Mogadishu, remains a key battleground. Somali authorities have not released casualty figures from Friday’s clash or detailed their response to the militants’ Ramadan push.

GAROWE ONLINE