Somalia: Militia leader disputes government claim of killing senior Al-Shabaab leaders

HIIRAAN, Somalia – The leader of the Macawiisley militia in Somalia’s Hiiraan region, Ali Jayte Osman, has rejected claims by the federal government that national army forces carried out a recent military operation against the militant group Al-Shabaab.

The former Hiiraan region's governor said senior Al-Shabaab leaders and fighters were killed by Macawiisley militia, not by Somali National Army troops, as claimed by the Somali Minister of Defense.

He described the government's claims as "shameful" and emphasized that it would not deter the militia's ongoing efforts to restore peace and stability in Hiiraan.

“The Macawiisley fighters led the heavy fighting that pushed Al-Shabaab out of the region. These operations and achievements are real and tangible,” Jayte said.

The Federal Defense Minister, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, earlier stated that Somali and foreign troops carried out a successful joint operation in Galhareeri, Hiiraan, killing senior Al-Shabaab figures, including Nur Abdi Roble (known as Nuunuule), Caddaw, and Macallin Cumar. However, Jayte challenged the accuracy of those claims, insisting that local forces were solely responsible.

Jayte also reiterated that their operations are ongoing and warned that they will not allow militant groups to regain control of any recovered territory in the Hiiraan region of central Somalia amid a lack of full support from the Somali government.

In recent months, the federal government has announced several offensives against Al-Shabaab in central Somalia, claiming significant territorial gains. However, local leaders and community defense forces such as the Macawiisley have increasingly voiced frustration over what they see as the government's lack of recognition for their frontline role in the fight.

Hiiraan’s local militias have played a crucial part in pushing back Al-Shabaab, reclaiming key areas in the region in a series of grassroots-led offensives.

GAROWE ONLINE