In the shattered frontline town of Awdheegle, just 60 kilometers outside Mogadishu, the fight against Al-Shabab militants remains precarious. Roughly 1,000 Somali National Army (SNA) troops, backed by an African Union contingent, retook the strategic settlement less than seven weeks ago, but their grip is tenuous.
A helicopter pilot, wary of mortar attacks, warned reporters: “Five more minutes, and I would have left you,” as his aging aircraft lifted off over the ruins. For residents like Abdi Osman Hassan, 65, the devastation is total: “I found my house demolished. I have nothing to rebuild it.”
Nearby villages Sabiid and Canole tell a similar story. Drone and air strikes cratered the landscape after militants entrenched themselves with tunnels and explosives. Though overwhelming firepower forced Al-Shabab out in June, they destroyed bridges during their retreat, leaving nothing but rubble. A new bridge, rebuilt with Turkish assistance under the watch of Ugandan troops, now stands—but contractors warn it could be blown up again if political divisions persist.
Somalia’s war with Al-Shabab has dragged on since the mid-2000s. Despite recapturing 200 towns and villages in 2022-23, the militants launched a fresh offensive this year, reclaiming 90 percent of that territory, including three vital bridges along the Shabelle River.
The SNA, stretched thin, relies heavily on African Union forces funded by Western nations. But support is shrinking: the latest mission, AUSSOM, began in January with a $92 million budget shortfall and an existing $100 million debt. Analysts warn the army is at breaking point.
Somalia’s national security adviser Awes Hagi Yusuf acknowledged the challenges but pointed to new partnerships with Turkiye and the United Arab Emirates as critical reinforcements. “The fight that we are doing, it’s not confined and limited to Somalia. This is a global war,” he said.
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