MOGADISHU – The African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) confirmed that more than 50 members of the terrorist group al-Shabab were killed in a joint military operation with Somali government forces in Bariire, a key town in southern Somalia. The offensive, launched on August 1, aimed to reclaim the strategically important area, located about 60 kilometers southwest of Mogadishu.
AUSSOM issued a statement from Mogadishu refuting media claims that its forces had suffered heavy casualties in the confrontation. “AUSSOM wishes to clarify that its forces, in coordination with the Somali National Armed Forces (SNAF), initiated a major offensive to recapture Bariire town,” the mission said, countering al-Shabab’s propaganda about AU armored vehicle losses and a retreat.
According to AUSSOM, the terrorist group suffered “substantial losses,” with over 50 fighters killed and many others seriously wounded. The battle was one of the most intense in recent days, according to residents of Bariire, a town known for its agricultural resources and strategic position along the Shabelle River in the Lower Shabelle region.
El Hadji Ibrahima Boly Diene, the AU Commission Chairperson’s Special Representative for Somalia and head of AUSSOM, reaffirmed the mission’s commitment: “AUSSOM and SNAF troops are determined to recapture Bariire and all territories still under al-Shabab control to secure lasting peace and stability for the Somali people.”
