Al-Shabaab dislodge Burundian troops from strategic town in Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Al-Qaeda-affiliated militants – the Al-shabaab have reportedly dislodged Burundian troops from the strategic Xawaadley town within Middle Shabelle, just over a month after the Somali National Army (SNA) were flushed out of Adan Yabaal.

According to multiple reports, Burundian troops and local fighters were forced to abandon their camps in Xawaadley, located approximately 50 kilometers north of Mogadishu, the Somali capital.

For the last three days, the militants have been deliberately flooding the area with water from Bal’ad, leading to the takeover. Since Monday, the Al-Shabaab militants have been camping in the area, residents said.

Xawaadley has a strategic bridge linking the region to the southern half of the country. Moments after these reports, the Al-Shabaab militants admitted to having run over the village, sending local fighters and the Burundian troops away.

Al-Shabaab also claimed on their website to have shot down an AU helicopter in the vicinity of Xawaadley, but these claims could not be verified independently by Garowe Online. UN helicopters are used in the area to ferry both troops and supplies.

On Saturday, the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) from the Burundi Contingent troops donated essential medicines to the Xawaadley Health Center, aiming to improve healthcare access in the Balcad district within the area.

Ms. Qali Nuludin from the health center thanked the troops for their continued efforts to improve healthcare standards in Xawaddley village, the AUSSOM team said in a tweet on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"Commander of the BNDF 72nd Battalion, Lt. Col. Karenzo Emile, reaffirmed BNDF’s commitment to stabilizing liberated areas through civil-military cooperation initiatives," the tweet further read.

The takeover comes amid massive changes in the military and intelligence teams, with the recent reinstatement of Gen Odowaa Yusuf Rage and former National Intelligence Security Agency boss Mahad Salad, who took over from Sanbaloolshe, who was relieved by President Hassan Sheikh.

GAROWE ONLINE