MOGADISHU, December 20, 2025 (Somalia Tribune) – U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) carried out airstrikes targeting al-Shabaab militants in Somalia’s Middle Shabelle region on December 18, 2025, according to an official statement.
The airstrikes were conducted near Nur Dugle, approximately 215 kilometers northeast of Mogadishu, as part of ongoing joint operations with the Federal Government of Somalia and the Somali Armed Forces.
“AFRICOM, alongside the Federal Government of Somalia and the Somali Armed Forces, continues to take action to degrade al-Shabaab’s ability to threaten the U.S. homeland, our forces, and our citizens abroad,” the statement said.
The strikes came hours after al-Shabaab fighters launched attacks on government and allied local militia positions in the area, triggering heavy clashes. Residents reported intense fighting involving heavy and light weapons, with explosions and gunfire heard from distant locations.
Casualties from the hours-long clashes have not yet been officially confirmed, though preliminary reports indicate that both sides suffered deaths and injuries.
