Monday July 14 2025 {HMC} Somali National Army (SNA) commandos have killed a senior Al-Shabaab leader in a targeted operation in the Toratorow area of the Lower Shabelle region, the military confirmed on Sunday.
The operation, led by the elite Danab special forces, resulted in the death of Abdullahi Mohamed, known within the group as “Arab,” who was in charge of Zakawaat—the group’s extortion and taxation wing in the region.
According to a statement issued by the Somali National Army, the operation was “successful and executed as planned.”
“During the operation, Danab forces destroyed the motorcycle he was using and seized a large amount of money and vouchers that were being extorted from the residents of Toratorow,” the statement added.
The operation is part of a broader offensive by the Somali military against Al-Shabaab in Lower Shabelle, aimed at dismantling the group’s financial networks and leadership.
Al-Shabaab has used extortion to fund its insurgency across southern and central Somalia for years. The Somali government, with support from international partners, has ramped up military campaigns to weaken the group’s grip on rural communities.
