The armed groups claim they seized control of the town of Adan Yabar, but the Somali army has challenged the outcome of the battle.
The armed groups of Al-Shabaab claim to have seized control of Adanyabar, a central Somali town of government forces, about 220 kilometers (130 miles) north of the capital Mogadishu.
The fighters launched an assault before dawn on Wednesday, retreating the army after a fierce battle, according to security guards cited by Anadolu News Agency.
However, the report was contested by the Army. Hussein Ou, a military officer for Adan Yabar, told Reuters that government forces had pushed the group back.
“Terrorist extremists have launched a desperate attack on Somali military status in Adan Yabar district this morning,” Somali captain Muhammed Ali told AFP news agency from a nearby town. “There was still a lot of fierce fighting in some parts of town,” he said.
There were no reports of casualties.
“A deafening explosion”
Al-Shabaab has been fighting the Somali government for over 16 years and frequently targets government officials and military personnel.
Adan Yabaal has strategic military significance and serves as an important logistics hub that links the state of Hirshabelle with the adjacent Garmdugu state. It was recaptured from Al-Shabaab in 2022.
“After an early morning prayer, we heard a deafening explosion before hearing the shootout,” Fatuma Nur, the mother of four, told Reuters on Adan Yabaal’s phone. “Al-Shabaab attacked us from two directions,” she added.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamd, a native of the area, visited the town in March where he met with the military commander.
The new African Union’s peacekeeping mission replaced a large force at the beginning of the year, but its funding is uncertain and the United States is opposed to a plan to transition to the UN’s funding model.
