Uganda, Somalia armies recapture town from al-Shabaab

The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF), under the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), in co-ordination with the Somali National Army (SNA), say they have successfully dislodged al-Shabaab terrorists from Sabiid-Anole town in the Lower Shabelle region.

According to UPDF, the joint military operation, codenamed “Operation Silent Storm,” followed a three-day siege that forced the terrorists out of their hideouts and underground tunnels.

"During the operation, 30 al-Shabaab fighters were eliminated in a co-ordinated combined-arms assault. UPDF teams also recovered a cache of weapons and dismantled numerous Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) planted by the militants," the statement issued on June 22, 2025, says.

AUSSOM Force commander Lt. Gen. Sam Kavuma commended the joint forces for the successful offensive, which led to the recapture of the town.

“I commend the bravery of our gallant AUSSOM-UPDF troops and the Somali National Army. This operation is part of our continued effort to degrade Al-Shabaab and fully implement the Somali Transition Plan, which will eventually see security responsibilities handed over to Somali forces,” he noted.

Sector One Commander, Brig Gen Joseph Musoke Ssemwanga, described Sabiid-Anole as a key operational area for al-Shabaab.

“Since March, this town had become a strategic location for the terrorists to plan attacks, hide weapons and vehicles for VBIEDs, and erect illegal checkpoints to extort civilians,” he said.

Following the operation, AUSSOM and SNA forces are holding the liberated territory and continuing efforts to clear remaining pockets of terrorist presence in Afgooye District, Lower Shabelle.

Some of the terrorists' underground hideouts.

"Unfortunately, we lost seven soldiers during the battle," army spokesperson Felix Kulayigye said.

AUSSOM, which replaced the previous ATMIS deployment, currently has 11,146 soldiers -- although it stated in April it required an additional 8,000.

Somalia has long struggled with the violent Islamist insurgency, although the Al-Qaeda-linked group had been forced onto the defensive in 2022 and 2023 by Somali forces backed by African Union-led peacekeepers.

Recent attacks in key towns have provoked worries about the organisation's resurgence, with the militants targeting President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's convoy in capital Mogadishu in March.