Ugandan-led forces withdraw after fierce clashes near Mogadishu

Foreign troops have pulled out from a strategically important area in Somalia due to escalating clashes with the Al-Shabaab militant group, according to local sources cited by Turkish media.

The latest hostilities have been centred in the towns of Sabiid and Kanole, located approximately 30 kilometres from Mogadishu. In recent months, Al-Shabaab fighters have made significant advances in these territories, steadily moving closer to the capital.

In response, African Union peacekeeping forces — primarily led by the Ugandan military — and Somali government troops launched a counteroffensive aimed at pushing Al-Shabaab out of the segment of the Shabelle River near Mogadishu. The goal of the operation was to secure the river’s corridor and prevent further incursions toward the capital.

Though the initial counterattack succeeded in forcing Al-Shabaab to temporarily withdraw from two settlements, the group soon responded with a wave of deadly assaults. Using car bombs and ambush tactics, Al-Shabaab inflicted heavy casualties, particularly on the Ugandan forces. As a result, the Ugandan army withdrew from the towns of Sabiid and Kanole around midday on July 20.

Following the retreat, Al-Shabaab militants swiftly re-entered and took control of the area. The towns lie along the strategically significant Shabelle River, home to vital bridges that link rural parts of Mogadishu to the capital.

Local sources warn that fierce clashes are likely to persist across the region in the coming days.