MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Al-Qaeda-aligned militant group Al-Shabaab on Sunday recaptured the strategic towns of Sabiid and Anole in Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region, approximately 40 kilometers southwest of Mogadishu. The development comes after Ugandan peacekeepers and Somali government forces hastily withdrew from the area, which they had retaken only last month.
The towns lie along a key route connecting the capital to Somalia’s southern regions and are of high strategic value due to a critical river-crossing bridge in Sabiid. The withdrawal followed a deadly Al-Shabaab suicide bombing last week that killed at least 20 Ugandan peacekeepers and wounded dozens more near the contested towns. A similar bombing last month claimed the lives of more than a dozen Ugandan soldiers as they moved to secure the area.
While neither the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission (AUSSOM) nor the Somali federal government has officially explained the abrupt withdrawal, multiple sources indicate that Al-Shabaab had successfully cut off supply and logistics routes to the area. The disruption severely strained the morale and operational capacity of Ugandan troops—many of whom have reportedly not received salaries for nearly a year following a pause in funding by the U.S. and EU.
Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the recapture via affiliated online media, and eyewitnesses reported the militant group’s black flag flying over the town by late Sunday.
Before pulling out, Ugandan troops were reportedly preparing a broader offensive to retake nearby towns including Awdhegle and Barire. However, those plans were likely derailed by the recent car bomb attacks and the deteriorating security situation.
The loss of Sabiid and Anole represents a serious setback for Somali and AU forces, casting doubt on their ability to defend the capital amid increasing militant advances. Since April, Al-Shabaab has reclaimed significant territory across the Middle and Lower Shabelle regions as well as eastern Hiran, reversing years of government gains in central Somalia.
Security analysts warn that Al-Shabaab’s control of Sabiid—home to a critical river crossing—could facilitate the smuggling of weapons and explosives into Mogadishu via the Awdhegle-Barire-Sabiid corridor.
The strategic towns were initially captured in 2019 during the presidency of Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo in a joint Somali-AU operation supported by U.S. airstrikes. The operation was seen as a pivotal step in curbing car bombings and arms smuggling into the capital.
Residents who recently returned to Sabiid and Anole after government forces had secured the towns were met with scenes of destruction. Much of the area lies in ruins following weeks of artillery shelling and airstrikes by Ugandan and Somali forces, and their international partners during the initial offensive. Videos circulating online show displaced residents expressing anger and frustration toward peacekeepers and Somali troops, accusing them of destroying homes, property, and crops.
The rapid reversal of control and growing unrest underscores the precarious nature of Somalia’s security landscape, as Al-Shabaab continues to expand its reach despite years of military pressure.
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