Somalia’s govt loses three towns in 48 hours as rivals advance

MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Al-Shabaab militants have severed a vital army supply road in central Somalia, and Jubaland forces have wrested a southern town from federal control, leaving the government in Mogadishu with three territorial losses in 48 hours. Fighters from the jihadist group captured Hees, in the central Hiran region, on Friday after a brief […]

Oct 10, 2026 - 19:28

Somalia’s govt loses three towns in 48 hours as rivals advance

MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Al-Shabaab militants have severed a vital army supply road in central Somalia, and Jubaland forces have wrested a southern town from federal control, leaving the government in Mogadishu with three territorial losses in 48 hours.

Fighters from the jihadist group captured Hees, in the central Hiran region, on Friday after a brief battle with the Somali National Army. The town sits close to strategic town of Mataban, astride the road that connects it to the regional capital, Beledweyne. Its fall cuts a lifeline for government troops in the area.

Hundreds of kilometres to the south, forces from the semi-autonomous state of Jubaland seized Balad Hawo, in the Gedo region, from federal troops who had taken it only months earlier. The reversal rekindles a bitter contest between Mogadishu and Jubaland over control of Gedo’s principal towns.

Jubaland now holds Balad Hawo, Dolow, Luuq and El Wak, while federal-aligned forces retain Bardere and Garbaharey.

The back-to-back reverses follow Thursday’s loss of Qansax Dheere, in the Bay region, to fighters loyal to Abdiaziz Laftagareen, the ousted president of South West state.