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Somali federal forces and Jubbaland regional troops have moved to within seven kilometers of Jamaame, one of al-Shabaab’s most important strongholds in Lower Juba. Officials describe this as the most significant military advance in the area in more than a decade. The troops are now positioned near the Araare Bridge, a major defensive point used by al-Shabaab to block access to Jamaame. Military officials say that if government forces secure the bridge, it would pave the way for their first entry into the town since the militant group took control around 2008.
Jamaame has long played a central role in al-Shabaab’s operations. It serves as a strategic base for logistics, administration, and revenue collection. The group uses the town to tax local trade, control riverine transport routes, and support its fighters along the Juba River corridor and into nearby coastal and border regions. A United Nations monitoring report in 2021 confirmed that most towns in Jamaame District remained under militant control, highlighting the area’s importance within al-Shabaab’s territorial network.
The ongoing offensive, now in its second week, is pushing forward along both the main tarmac road and the western bank of the Jubba River. This approach is designed to pressure al-Shabaab from multiple directions, limiting its ability to move fighters or resupply. Officials say the goal is to cut the group off from its agricultural resources, taxation routes, and riverine settlements that have helped sustain its finances and mobility for years.
As fighting intensifies near Araare, residents in surrounding villages have begun fleeing their homes. Local authorities report growing displacement, although access to many affected areas is still restricted due to insecurity. Humanitarian workers have struggled to assess the full impact because of the ongoing clashes.
Al-Shabaab is believed to be reinforcing its long-established defensive positions around Araare. These defenses have protected Jamaame for many years, making the town difficult for government forces to approach. Security analysts say Jamaame’s location—linking Kismayo, Bu’aale, and the Kenyan border—has made it a central hub for the group’s military planning and financial operations in southern Somalia.
The current push is described by military officials as one of the largest coordinated operations between the Somali National Army and Jubbaland forces since the liberation of Kismayo in 2012. Previous missions in the Jamaame area, including offensives conducted with support from Danab special forces, have targeted militant camps, tunnels, weapons stores, and logistical sites. While these earlier operations weakened some of al-Shabaab’s assets, the group has maintained strong control over Jamaame for more than 15 years.
So far, government officials have not released casualty numbers, and independent verification remains limited because journalists and observers cannot freely access the frontline. However, the steady advance toward Jamaame marks a significant moment in Somalia’s wider campaign to reclaim areas held by al-Shabaab. If the troops succeed in crossing Araare Bridge and advancing into the town, it would represent a major blow to the group’s influence in Lower Juba and potentially shift the dynamics of the conflict in the region.