AFRICOM and Somali forces launch offensive to retake Lower Shabelle territory
General Dagvin Anderson, Commander of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), confirmed on July 31, 2026, that Somali National Army forces and U.S. special operators have launched a renewed campaign to recapture strategic territory along the Lower Shabelle River. The offensive focuses on the town of Mubarak and surrounding areas that had previously been cleared but were recently re-occupied by Al-Shabaab. The operation coincides with an AUSSOM troop-contributing summit in Uganda aimed at securing long-term regional stability through 2028.