Elite Danab Commandos of the Somali National Army killed al-Shabab bomb maker Abdi Jabbar during a Monday-night raid on Yuumbis village, roughly seven km northwest of Barire in southern Somalia, the Defense Ministry announced Tuesday. The ministry said the strike, carried out “to protect strategic bridges and other vital infrastructure,” also left seven other al-Shabab fighters dead and removed a cache of weapons—some of them US-made—from the battlefield.
Officials describe Jabbar as the network’s chief architect of improvised explosive devices since 2007. He allegedly orchestrated the demolition of key bridges in Bariire, Sabiid, and Caanoole, hampering trade and troop movements in the fertile Lower Shabelle region. In the ministry’s words, “The operation specifically targeted senior al-Shabab leaders, resulting in the elimination of eight terrorists, including a high profile commander, Abdi Jabbar, who was responsible for planning and executing improvised explosive device attacks throughout Lower Shabelle region.”
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Al-Shabab, an al-Qaida-linked group fighting to topple Somalia’s internationally backed government, has relied on roadside bombs to pressure security forces and extort local communities. By the ministry’s count, more than 50 al-Shabab fighters have been killed in government offensives across the country in recent weeks. “Jabbar was responsible for orchestrating numerous acts of terror and atrocities against innocent Somalis,” the statement added, vowing to hunt the group’s remaining leaders “to ensure lasting security, stability, and a free future for the Somali people.”
The latest raid comes as Mogadishu presses forward with a US-supported campaign to loosen al-Shabab’s grip on rural areas and reopen routes toward the capital.