Somali Defense Minister, Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, held a press conference in Mogadishu today, detailing recent major security operations conducted by the Somali Armed Forces, which specifically targeted senior leaders of the Al-Shabaab group.
The minister said the press conference aimed to share with the Somali people important security achievements that have been made in recent days, especially operations that resulted in the killing of some of the most dangerous leaders of the Al-Shabaab group.
Minister Fiqi confirmed that on December 10, 2025, the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), in collaboration with international partners, carried out a carefully planned airstrike in Jilib district of Middle Juba region.
The minister described Jilib as the main Al-Shabaab headquarters, where the group’s leaders were located, new fighters were trained, and bombings and attack plans were prepared.
The operation killed two of the most dangerous leaders in Al-Shabaab’s history: Abdullahi Osman Mohamed Abu Bakar (Engineer Ismail), the group’s top bomb expert and a potential future leader, and Abdikarin Mohamed Hirsi (Qoorleex), who was responsible for internal security and planning external attacks.
The minister said that the two men were directly responsible for bombings, targeted killings, and terrorist acts that caused great harm to the Somali people.
Subsequently, Minister Fiqi said that Danab Special Forces carried out another operation in Bulo Fulaay, in which more than 20 Al-Shabaab fighters were killed, and Andalus Radio, a media outlet used by the group for propaganda and misinformation, was destroyed.
The minister also noted the reopening of the coastal road between Mogadishu and Marka, which Al-Shabaab had long used to intimidate the population and disrupt trade and movement of people.
The Minister of Defense particularly thanked NISA for its role in gathering intelligence, and also praised the US government for its air support in these operations.
“In the past month, Al-Shabaab has suffered significant losses in terms of leadership and fighters. No terrorist leader can escape the government’s clutches. If the ‘Great Engineer’ cannot escape, no one else can.” said Minister Fiqi.
