Al-Shabaab IED Attack Kills 12-30+ Soldiers Near Mubarak, Lower Shabelle

A Somali National Army truck was struck by an Al-Shabaab improvised explosive device on the route between Awdhegle and Mubarak, Lower Shabelle region, on Monday, August 10, 2026 — two towns where SNA forces have maintained bases since capturing them months earlier with Ugandan ground troop and Turkish air support. Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility, saying its attack killed over 20 soldiers and wounded dozens; prominent Somali journalist Abdalle Ahmed Mumin reported a toll of 30 killed, including a military commander, with many more wounded. The Somali government had not issued an official casualty count as of publication. The bombing came as Al-Shabaab intensified attacks across southern and central Somalia at a sensitive moment for the counter-insurgency campaign, with AU troop-contributing countries preparing further drawdowns ahead of December.