KEYIR NEWS - The militant group Al-Shabaab has claimed it has recaptured the strategic town of Sabid, located approximately 40 kilometres southwest of Mogadishu, following what it described as fierce battles against Somali and Ugandan forces.
According to a statement released by the group through its media channels, Al-Shabaab fighters launched a major offensive earlier this week, engaging in prolonged combat with Ugandan peacekeepers under the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and Somali National Army (SNA) troops. The group claims to have overrun the town, taken several prisoners of war, and seized military vehicles and equipment.
Sabid had only recently been liberated from Al-Shabaab control by Somali and Ugandan forces just one month ago, as part of a renewed joint military campaign to dismantle the group’s remaining strongholds in southern Somalia.
As of now, neither the Somali government nor ATMIS has issued an official response to the militants’ claims. The Ministry of Defence in Mogadishu and ATMIS headquarters have remained silent, fuelling uncertainty over the current status of the contested town.
Military analysts caution that although Al-Shabaab’s claims should be verified independently, the group has been visibly resurgent in recent months, reclaiming territory and mounting increasingly coordinated attacks.
The apparent seizure of Sabid, if confirmed, would mark a symbolic and strategic setback for government-led counterterrorism operations in the Lower Shabelle region.
The recapture also underscores growing concerns regarding budgetary and logistical constraints hampering the African Union mission. Sources close to ATMIS have reported that the mission’s mobility and operational readiness have suffered due to delays in international funding and reduced troop rotation capabilities.
Observers say this vacuum has created an opening for Al-Shabaab to reorganise and reassert control over key population centres, particularly in regions previously deemed secured.
Meanwhile, local residents who fled the town have begun arriving in IDP camps on the outskirts of Mogadishu, describing days of intense fighting, artillery exchanges, and loss of civilian life.
One displaced woman, speaking under condition of anonymity, said: “The soldiers were overwhelmed. We heard gunfire for hours. Then it stopped, and we knew they [Al-Shabaab] were back.”
Al-Shabaab, which is affiliated with Al-Qaeda, has waged an insurgency against the Somali government and its international partners for over a decade. Despite sustained military pressure, the group continues to control large rural areas and has demonstrated the ability to carry out deadly urban attacks, including suicide bombings and complex assaults on security installations.
The recapture of Sabid, if verified, would serve as a stark reminder of the persistent volatility in Somalia’s security landscape. It also raises questions about the future of the African Union’s transition strategy, as Somalia prepares to take full security responsibility by the end of 2025.