Somalia neutralises top Al-Shabaab leader linked to 2025 Mogadishu attacks
By Aloys Michael, March 3, 2026Somali officials have announced the death of a top Al-Shabaab commander, reported to have been responsible for orchestrating several deadly attacks in Mogadishu, including the 2025 strike on Godka Jilacow prison.
On May 18, 2025, an Al-Shabaab suicide bomber killed at least 20 people, 15 recruits and five civilians nearby, outside the gates of Damaanyo military base, where hundreds of young men had been lined up to enlist in the Somali National Army in the Hodan neighbourhood of Mogadishu.
Another 15 others were seriously injured in the bombing, including some critically, and the death toll is expected to rise due to the severity of the injuries
“The eliminated terrorist leader, who operated under the aliases Kamaludin Yunis Mohamed, Salim Nur Sheikh Abdirahin, Arale, and Abdullahi Hassan Ali, was the key figure behind the network that carried out the Godka Jilacow attack (4 October 2025),” NISA said.
“(He is also behind) the suicide attack at Jaalle Siyaad Military Academy (09 July 2025), and the attack on General Dhega-Badan Training School – Xero Nacnac (10 December 2025). He directly supervised and managed terrorist cells responsible for executing these atrocities.”
The announcement followed an operation by the Somali National Armed Forces (SNAF), supported by Ugandan troops under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). Launched the previous day and dubbed Operation Rolling Thunder, the mission targeted key Al-Shabaab strongholds in the region.
NISA stated that security officials had tracked the leader for more than five months, during which he repeatedly evaded capture by hiding among civilian populations.
“The operation was carried out in response to the bloodshed of civilians, officers, and security personnel who lost their lives in those terrorist attacks. The pursuit of this individual lasted more than 150 days, with particular care taken to protect civilians, as he frequently used populated civilian areas as hideouts,” the agency said.
“These included Mubaarak, Ugunji, Daarusalaam, Hantiwadaag, Kurtunwaarey, and Gendershe in the Lower Shabelle region.”
NISA added that operations against Al-Shabaab will continue until lasting security and stability are achieved across the country, and it urged the public to report any information or threats related to the group to relevant authorities.
In recent months, Somalia has intensified its operations against Al-Shabaab, successfully reducing the militia’s numbers and operational capacity.