JAMAME — Somalia’s elite Danab commando unit, backed by Jubbaland regional special forces, has launched one of the most extensive joint military offensives witnessed in southern Somalia in recent years. The operation, which began in the early hours of Monday, is focused on clearing al-Shabaab strongholds around the districts of Jamame and Jilib in Lower Juba.
According to frontline security officials and local residents who spoke to BBC Somali Service, government forces have successfully seized the strategically vital Araare Bridge, along with several key supply routes that connect rural areas to Jamame town. Military commanders say this is the furthest government troops have pushed into the region in nearly a decade.
The Araare Bridge, which crosses a major tributary feeding into the Jubba River, has long been a lifeline for al-Shabaab. The group used the crossing to move fighters between agricultural villages, transport explosives and ammunition, and funnel logistical support to their hideouts. Its capture is being described by analysts as “a major blow” to the militants’ regional mobility and revenue collection.
“We have taken full control of Araare and the surrounding terrain. Al-Shabaab can no longer use this corridor to reinforce or resupply,” said a senior Danab officer, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the ongoing operation.
Residents living near Jamame reported hours of heavy bombardment and exchanges of gunfire, with some describing the fighting as the most intense the area has seen in years. One resident told HAN News that government convoys could be seen moving steadily along the main road as drones and surveillance aircraft circled overhead.
“We heard the sound of heavy weapons for a long time. The soldiers were advancing, and the militants seemed to be retreating toward the forest,” said a villager from the Araare area.
Military officials say al-Shabaab fighters have been steadily pushed back, with many reportedly retreating deeper into Jamame’s urban neighborhoods and surrounding farmlands where they are believed to have planted explosives and improvised landmines.
Jamame and Jilib have for more than a decade served as critical command centers for al-Shabaab’s southern operations. Intelligence sources believe that several senior al-Shabaab commanders—possibly including members of the group’s governing Shura council—have previously taken refuge in these towns. That has increased the strategic value of the current offensive.
Somali security analyst Abdullahi Mohamed, based in Nairobi, says the timing of the operation is significant.
“For months, al-Shabaab has been trying to regroup in Lower Juba after losing ground in other regions. Capturing Araare deprives them of a key artery; it forces them to operate in more isolated pockets,” he told HAN News.
The joint offensive also underscores growing coordination between the Federal Government of Somalia and the Jubbaland administration, which have in the past struggled to align their security strategies. Jubbaland officials say the operation is part of a wider campaign aimed at restoring government control across the fertile Jubba valley, an area long exploited by al-Shabaab for taxation and recruitment.
“Our objective is to open the main roads, restore trade routes, and allow humanitarian agencies to reach communities cut off for years,” said a Jubbaland security spokesperson.
The Lower Juba region has suffered prolonged insecurity, with many residents fleeing recurring clashes between government forces and the militants. Humanitarian agencies say renewed stability could allow thousands of displaced families to return home, though they warn that unexploded ordnance and booby-trapped roads remain a major threat.
For now, military officials say operations will continue until Jamame’s outskirts are fully secured. Additional troops have reportedly been deployed to reinforce newly captured areas, with engineers beginning work to clear landmines laid by the militants.
Despite the gains, analysts caution that al-Shabaab has a history of launching counter-attacks, especially when losing strategic positions. The group has not issued an official statement on the Araare Bridge loss, but pro-al-Shabaab outlets have acknowledged “continued clashes” in the area.
As the offensive enters its next phase, commanders describe the coming days as critical to determining whether security forces can maintain momentum and move closer to dismantling one of al-Shabaab’s last major strongholds in southern Somalia.
