Reports say that Somali troops were sent to the East of Hiiraan province after Al-Shabab fighters on last Sunday captured El-Qoohle settlement which is under the administration of Moqokori district. They perceived the settlement another gate that they can move into Moqokori district after they were utterly defeated on several occasions the attacks they launched on El-Hareeri settlement which is under the administration of Moqokori district. They are trying now to cross from Adan Yabaal district in Middle Shabelle province to Moqokori district in Hiiraan province as the two districts share borders.
They are doing all they can to link Al-Shabab militants from Middle Shabelle province to Galguduud province in Galmudug state. The reason Al-Shabab fighters are trying to reinforce their presence in Moqokori district is that after Al-Shabab fighters took control of Yasooman settlement which is under the administration of Buulo Buurde town on June 16, 2025. The militant group of Al-Shabab failed in their attempts to open Yasooman road which connects Moqokori and Mahaas which also goes to the East of Galguduud province. However, the Somali military is doing all they can to prevent Al-Shabab from entering Hiiraan province from Middle Shabelle province. The Somali Military is dispatching large number of Somali National Army (SNA) to Moqokori district in order to defend the district from Al-Shabab fighters and to drive them out from the settlements that is under the administration of Moqokori district like El-Qoohle settlement.
The local defense forces known as Ma’awisley just a few days ago withdrew from El-Qoohle settlement after Al-Shabab fighters put a lot of pressure on the settlement. Reports indicate reinforcements reached Moqokori district in Hiiraan province. The Somali Military Command airlifted reinforcements from Mogadishu to Moqokori district. The Somali Federal Gov’t is also deploying additional troops and sent weapons and ammunitions to the district.
They told that the Somali troops and those of the local defense forces are currently stationed in the outskirts of the settlement; they are giving a top priority to flush out the terrorists from the settlement. Al-Shabab’s objective was to capture Moqokori district before they are dislodged from Adan Yabaal district. They believe that the Somali Federal Gov’t is planning to launch large scale offensive against them.
Traditional elders hailing from the East of Hiiraan province and MP’s who are members of the Somali Federal Gov’t and those from Hirshabelle state parliament are conducting mobilizations in Moqokori district in order to foil Al-Shabab’s unprecedented attacks. Officers of the Somali National Army (SNA) said that since Al-Shabab fighters are present in El-Qoohle settlement, residents in Moqokori will not sleep in peace.
Therefore, they promised to liberate the settlement in order to dislodge them from the district. Al-Shabab captured the Adan Yabaal district on April 16, 2025 after a fierce battle with Somali National Army (SNA). They launched fresh attacks in which they wanted to capture Moqokori district. This shows that they have not given up to capture the district even though they have been defeated in their attacks that they launched to nearby settlements.
