Somalia Security Forces Eliminate Hotel Attackers, Al-Shabab Militants

In Beledweyne, Somalia, security forces successfully neutralized six militants who attacked a hotel hosting traditional elders and security officials, VOA reported. The siege lasted 18 hours, during which two attackers were killed, while four others detonated explosives upon realizing their escape was impossible. Tragically, seven individuals, including security officials and prominent elders, lost their lives.

Following the siege, Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) reported that coordinated airstrikes killed at least 50 al-Shabab militants in the Hirshabelle region. Among those killed was Mansoor Tima-Weeyne, a senior leader responsible for orchestrating combat vehicle operations for the group. NISA emphasized that this operation significantly weakened al-Shabab’s combat capabilities.

Additionally, NISA announced the closure of 12 media outlets linked to al-Shabab, continuing its crackdown on extremist propaganda. Since President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s declaration of “total war” against al-Shabab in August 2022, Beledweyne has become a focal point in the fight against terrorism in Somalia.