Mogadishu(WDN) – Al-Shabaab militants entered the town of Xawaadley in Middle Shabelle on Monday without resistance, following the withdrawal of African Union peacekeepers (AUSSOM – Burundi contingent), Somali government forces, and local militia allies — the latest in a troubling pattern that lays bare the chronic vulnerabilities of the Somali National Army (SNA).

Multiple sources confirm that the militants employed a new tactic: they targeted and disabled a key water source in the area, disrupting the town’s basic needs and prompting a hasty pullout by Somali forces and their international partners. The group then moved in and took full control of the area — not through battle, but through strategic manipulation of local infrastructure.

This latest loss is not an isolated incident. Over the past two years, Al-Shabaab has recaptured dozens of towns across Hirshabelle, Galmudug, and even parts of Southwest State — often after brief and uncoordinated government offensives fail to hold liberated areas. Despite billions in international aid and over a decade of military training, the Somali National Army continues to struggle with sustainability, supply lines, and holding ground in rural and strategic towns.

“Xawaadley is just the latest in a growing list,” said a former security adviser in Mogadishu. “The SNA has shown it can launch offensives, but it lacks the logistics, morale, and leadership to retain control. Al-Shabaab knows this — they’re just waiting for forces to leave.”

The timing of AL Shabab takeover was further dramatized by the crash of a military helicopter in the nearby village of Maqdis. Though crew and passengers were rescued, the grounded aircraft remained in the field, underscoring the lack of logistical depth to respond rapidly to emergencies.

The fall of Xawaadley is particularly concerning due to its geographic importance. The town’s bridge connects both banks of the Shabelle River, giving Al-Shabaab a critical corridor to move fighters, weapons, and explosives. Its capture inches the militants closer to Jowhar, the seat of Hirshabelle State, and raises fresh alarms about the fragility of regional security.

For a government that has long claimed victory was “just around the corner,” Xawaadley stands as yet another sobering reminder: Al-Shabaab is not only undefeated — it is adapting faster than the national army meant to eliminate it.

WardheerNews