The Somali National Intelligence Agency (NISA), announced on Sunday that an airstrike conducted by the Int’l partners destroyed a recently constructed bridge in Somalia’s Middle Shabelle region.
The bridge which is located in Aw-Baalle area, linked between Hiran and Middle Shabelle region over the Shabelle river and was being used by Alshabab vehicles at the time of the airstrike.
NISA did not specifically named the country responsible for the operation but it is understood the involvement of International partners including U.S. and Turkey which carry out airstrikes in Somalia to support efforts against Alshabab, which waged insurgency against the Somali gov’t and the foreign forces.
The strike comes amid a series of alarming territorial gains by Al-Shabaab in the Middle Shabelle region. Over the past weeks, the militant group has captured more than a dozen towns and villages, catching Somali forces off guard and forcing a disorganized retreat. The group’s advances have raised concerns about its growing momentum in the region.
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, however, sought to downplay the situation this week. While acknowledging the militants’ recent progress, he described their gains as limited and emphasized that such back-and-forth dynamics are common in conflict zones.
