MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Fierce overnight clashes broke out between Somali government forces and Al-Shabaab militants in Elasha, a neighborhood just 15 kilometers southwest of Mogadishu, following an assault on a military outpost, residents and security sources said on Sunday.
The fighting, which raged for several hours, was triggered by a militant attack on the army position, sparking intense gunfire and explosions that reverberated across the area. Residents reported hearing sustained bursts of gunfire and blasts throughout the night. Casualty figures remain unverified.
The confrontation comes amid growing insecurity along the strategic Mogadishu-Afgoye corridor. In recent weeks, Al-Shabaab fighters have been repeatedly sighted in Elasha, Hawa Abdi, and Lafole, where they have established makeshift roadblocks, halted vehicles, and interrogated passengers with impunity. Residents say the militants have also cut power to street lights and ordered locals to extinguish outdoor lighting, signaling a tightening grip on the area.
The latest attack follows reports of deteriorating military positions in Somalia’s central regions, where national forces and allied clan militias have been retreating in disarray. The collapse of frontlines has raised alarm over the security of the capital, with comparisons drawn to the rapid Taliban takeover of Kabul in 2021. However, the Somali federal government has dismissed such fears as unfounded.
Al-Shabaab, an al Qaeda-linked group designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and other countries, has waged a deadly insurgency against Somalia’s internationally backed government for over a decade.
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