Earlier today, a fierce battle between al-Shabaab and the Somali National Army (SNA) took place in Qoryoley. The militants launched the assault from the Farsoley side, trying to overrun the city and capture it from the government forces. The fighting was intense and continued for about two hours.
Qoryoley, Lower Shabelle, South West State, SOMALIA. By Dalmar:
Al-Shabaab falsely claimed to capture the city and drive out government troops and Ma’awisley militia to hide in an African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) base on the city’s outskirts. The group often exaggerates its battlefield claims, which has been the case even today.
“The Mujahideen forces took control of the Qoryoley district. The apostate soldiers [al-Shabaab’s pejorative term for the Somali Security Forces] who fled the city regrouped at the African Kuffar [al-Shabaab’s pejorative term for ATMIS] station on the city’s periphery,” al-Shabaab-affiliated media reported.
The Somali Digest confirmed that this claim was false. Although the attack reportedly occurred, the SNA and allied Ma’awisley forces successfully repelled it. According to a reliable source, the Ma’awisley, comprising the Garre and Bimaal clans, held off the attackers for about two hours.
Moreover, Ugandan troops under ATMIS, the 60th Unit of SNA’s 8th Brigade, also swiftly responded. Additionally, government media indicate that the local forces received air support from “international partners“.
The Somali government claims it killed over 30 militants in the operation. However, the figure could not be independently verified. Sadly, the skirmish resulted in the loss of six soldiers, with two others sustaining injuries. At least two civilians were reportedly killed when a mortar shell hit a residential area.
July assault on Qoryoley
On 4 July, al-Shabaab carried out an assault on a military base and the district commissioner’s building in Qoryoley. The Somali Digest contacted residents, who reported a brief exchange of fire between the militants and the base defenders. The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) and the Somali government forces repelled the attack. Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility but did not report any casualties.
The government troops need to remain vigilant. Al-Shabaab might feel encouraged by its recent successes in the Galgaduud region, which resulted in some government troops withdrawing to Middle Shabelle. The government’s blunder might have emboldened al-Shabaab to conduct similar attacks like the one in Qoryoley today.
