Senior SNA Commander Col. Abdirahman Hujale Killed by Own Soldier Near Moqokori — Suspected Insider Attack as Al-Shabaab Seizes Town

Colonel Abdirahman Hujale, commander of the 26th Brigade, 27th Division of the Somali National Army (SNA), was shot and killed on May 17, 2026 on the outskirts of Moqokori town in Hiiraan Region by one of his own soldiers. The Hirshabelle State authorities launched an immediate investigation into the killing, and the motive remained officially unclear as of the evening of May 17. Security analysts assessed the killing as consistent with a pattern of Al-Shabaab insider infiltration of SNA units in Hiiraan — a tactic the group has employed systematically to neutralize senior anti-insurgency commanders before major offensives. The killing occurred in the same operational area where Al-Shabaab briefly seized Moqokori on May 17, suggesting the two events may be linked in an Al-Shabaab coordinated operation: neutralizing the senior local commander simultaneously with a tactical seizure of the town to eliminate a coherent SNA response. Hujale had commanded the 26th Brigade through multiple counter-Al-Shabaab operations in central Somalia and Hiiraan, and his loss represented a significant reduction in experienced SNA tactical leadership in the region. The killing added to a documented pattern of Al-Shabaab targeting SNA officers: on April 5, 2026, SNA 14th October Brigade Commander Col. Nur Farey was assassinated at Abdow Dibille camp near Afgooye by a gunman in military uniform — also suspected to be an Al-Shabaab infiltrator.