A senior al-Shabab leader has been confirmed dead by the Somali Ministry of Defense during a targeted operation carried out on Sunday. The ministry identified the group head of finance as a key operative under al-Shabab control.
Abdullahi Abukar is responsible for managing funds extorted from civilians and the recruitment of child soldiers in the country. Abukar was killed near Hudur town in the Bakool region, southern Somalia.
The ministry lauded Somali military men for a successful operation, which resulted in the killing of Abukar. The operation was described as a precise elimination of a significant threat challenging the nation.
This comes after the recapturing of a town called Bariire, a launchpad for terrorist attacks by the al-Shabab. Reports say the U.S Africa Command, alongside the federal government of the country, conducted a series of airstrikes between August 1-8, 2025.
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Earlier today, the country’s military court executed two soldiers for assassinating a battalion commander. The suspects, Mohammed Bule and Adam Yarrow, committed the offence on behalf of al shabaab group.
According to the court, the pair admitted to collaborating with the militants in exchange for money. Also, they were said to have supplied the group with sensitive intelligence information for their ambush operations.
According to Somalia’s army chief, Odowa Rage, the suspect’s betrayal undermines the country’s fight against terrorism. He warned that any soldier found guilty of treason would face execution, irrespective of rank or position of the culprit.
The terrorist group known as Harakat al-Shabaab al-Mujahideen is based in Somalia, active since 2006. Al Shabaab has terrified the Somali government and its military personnel, aiming to weaken the country’s security forces.
