Battle of Shabeelow

For years, the jihadist militant group al-Shabaab has launched incursions into the village of Shabeelow, pressuring residents to wage jihad against the Somali government and turn over their livestock to al-Shabaab.^[1] In response to the constant attacks, residents of Shabeelow had taken up arms to fight against the jihadists.^[1] In March 2020, al-Shabaab ordered residents of the village to provide children to fight for the group.^[2] Tensions had reportedly risen between the two groups in the days prior to the battle, but these confrontations had no injuries or fatalities.^[3]

Clashes broke out between villagers and al-Shabaab on September 3 after the latter attempted to force villagers to hand over their livestock.^[4] When the villagers refused, al-Shabaab placed landmines in and around the village.^[5] Villagers who had taken up arms along with nearby freelance militiamen fought back against the jihadists, sparking the clashes.^[6] The fighting had a brief lull on September 4 before flaring up later that night and into September 5.^[7] The clashes on September 5 lasted for five hours, and left sixteen jihadists and fourteen villagers and militiamen dead.^[1] At least six militiamen and villagers were injured as well, and subsequently transported to hospitals in Galkayo.^[1][3]

By September 5, the Somali military's 21st and 15th Battalions headed to Shabeelow to evacuate the injured and dispel al-Shabaab. al-Shabaab claimed that nine Galmudug State Forces militiamen had been killed.^[7]