In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) conducted an airstrike targeting al-Shabaab on Jan. 8, 2026.The airstrike occurred in the vicinity of Saakow, Somalia. AFRICOM, alongside the Federal Government of Somalia and Somali Armed Forces, continues to take action to degrade al-Shabaab’s ability to threaten the U.S. Homeland, our forces, and our citizens abroad. Specific details about units and assets will not be released to ensure continued operations security.

PRESS RELEASE The Somali National Army, with international partners, particularly U.S. forces, conducted an operation this evening in Saakow District, Middle Juba, destroying Al-Shabaab’s largest explosives factory and eliminating 18 militants, including bomb-making engineers.

The US has launched at least eight airstrikes in Somalia so far in 2026 The US has launched four more airstrikes in Somalia, according to press releases from US Africa Command, as the Trump administration continues bombing the country at a record pace. AFRICOM said in two separate press releases that it conducted airstrikes against al-Shabaab in different parts of southern Somalia on January 8. The command said one strike was launched near Saakow, Somalia, in the Middle Juba region. According to Somalia’s Defense Ministry, the strike was part of an attack that destroyed an al-Shabaab explosives factory and killed 18 militants. AFRICOM provided no details on casualties or assessments of potential civilian harm, as it stopped sharing that information early last year. The second airstrike the US launched against al-Shabaab on January 8 targeted Buur Heybe, about 95 miles northwest of Mogadishu. Somalia’s Defense Ministry announced that its US-trained Danab force conducted an operation in the same area that it claimed “eliminated 22 terrorists” and said the Danab received support from “international partners.” The US airstrikes in support of the Mogadishu-based Federal Government come after the Trump administration announced it was suspending aid to the government over allegations that it demolished a World Food Program warehouse, a claim Somali officials deny. The continued US strikes indicate that the suspension of aid will not affect US military operations in the country. AFRICOM also announced that its forces launched airstrikes against the ISIS affiliate in Somalia’s northeastern Puntland region on January 8 and January 9. The command said that both strikes were launched about 20 miles southeast of the Gulf of Aden port city of Bosaso. The latest US attacks in Somalia bring the total number of US airstrikes in the country so far in 2026 to at least eight, a tally based on the number of press releases put out by AFRICOM. The command told Antiwar.com in an email over the weekend that it launched a total of 124 airstrikes in Somalia in 2025, a record-shattering number, nearly double the previous annual record of 63, which President Trump set during his first term in 2019. Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave. Join the Discussion! We welcome thoughtful and respectful comments. Hateful language, illegal content, or attacks against Antiwar.com will be removed. For more details, please see our Comment Policy.

Saturday January 10, 2026 Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali National Army forces, working in coordination with U.S. troops, carried out a planned overnight operation in Middle Juba that destroyed what officials described as al-Shabab’s largest explosives production facility and killed 18 militants, the Defense Ministry said Saturday. The operation took place late Friday in Saakow district and targeted a factory used by the al-Qaida-linked group to manufacture and prepare explosive devices, according to a statement from the Ministry of Defense and the Somali National Army Command. The facility was completely destroyed during the strike. Officials said those killed included engineers and specialists involved in the production of explosives used in attacks against civilians and security forces. The ministry said the operation was part of ongoing efforts to degrade al-Shabab’s ability to plan and carry out attacks, particularly through the use of improvised explosive devices, which remain one of the group’s most lethal tactics. The Somali government praised the close cooperation between Somali forces and international partners, saying such coordination continues to play a critical role in counterterrorism operations across southern and central Somalia. “The Ministry of Defense and the Somali National Army Command reaffirm their commitment to intensifying counterterrorism operations and strengthening efforts to safeguard the safety and security of the public,” the statement said. Middle Juba, including Saakow, has long been a stronghold for al-Shabab and a key logistical hub for the group’s operations. Despite sustained military pressure, the militants continue to use rural areas to manufacture weapons and stage attacks. Al-Shabab has waged an insurgency against Somalia’s federal government for more than a decade. While Somali forces, backed by international partners, have reclaimed territory in recent years, the group remains capable of mounting deadly attacks, making the destruction of explosives facilities a priority for security officials. The government said operations would continue as part of a broader campaign to dismantle al-Shabab’s infrastructure and weaken its ability to threaten Somalia’s stability.

At around 11:00 last night, US warplanes targeted a large company that produces clean drinking water, which was completely destroyed after being hit by 6 missiles. Photos taken of the company show the extent of the damage, and nothing was left of the company, including its engines, water purification machines, money and various materials that the factory was using. Abdullahi Hassan, deputy chairman of the Daruur Water Company, said that they used to supply water to the town of Saakow and its surrounding areas. He noted that Daruur was a company with Somali shareholders who were known in the town, and he described it as surprising that foreigners would be willing to destroy the property of Somali civilians. The Daruur water plant, which used to provide clean water to many parts of the Juba, Gedo, Bay and Bakool regions, was replaced by water imported from Kenya, which was very unhealthy and cost the Somali people a lot of money. According to Abdullahi Hassan, the airstrike destroyed property worth nearly $300,000, and this is the second time that these planes have destroyed the Daruur company. "No human life was lost, but the property was destroyed, and it was very expensive, and it cost $280,000," said Abdullahi Hassan, the deputy chairman of the Daruur water company. The federal government said that the Saakow airstrike was carried out by what it called its friends, meaning the United States, while boasting that an explosives factory had been destroyed, a lie that greatly surprised the large community of customers of the Daruur company. Scholars believe that such bombings are being targeted by the United States. The United States has previously targeted hospitals, recently massacred civilians in Jamame using drones and drones, and has also killed civilians in the outskirts of Afgooye district and other places, and it is clear that the Washington government is more lenient than the DF, because it does not report the most heinous atrocities but rather hands them over to the DF to make it look like a success. In recent times, public awareness of the US bombings has grown significantly, with hundreds of people we interviewed saying that they have realized that they are not targeting anyone in particular, but that they feel that the US and its allies are hostile to everyone, citing mosques, Quranic schools, businesses, children and women as targets who are still described as “terrorists”.

Abbaaro 11:00 habeennimo ee xalay, diyaaradaha dagaalka ee Mareykanka ayaa duqeyn ku bar tilmaameedsaday shirkad weyn oo soo saarta biyaha nadiifka ah ee la cabo, taasoo gabi ahaanba burburtay kadib markii ay ku dhaceen 6 gantaal. Sawirrada la soo qaaday shirkada ayaa muujinaya heerka burburka shirkadda, mana jiraan wax u badbaaday, haddey ahaan lahaayeen matooradeedii, mishiinadii biyaha sifeynayay, lacago iyo agab kala duwan oo ay warshaddu ku sahqeeneysay. Cabdullaahi Xasan oo ah gudoomiye ku-xigeenka Shirkadda Biyaha ee Daruur ayaa sheegay in ay biyo siin jireen magaalada Saakow iyo nawaaxigeeda. Wuxuu xusay in Daruur ay ahayd Shirkad ay ku mideysan yihiin saamiley Soomaaliyeed oo laga garanayo magaalada, wuxuuna wax lala yaabo ku tilmaamay in shisheeyuhu u bareeraan burburinta hantida dadka rayidka ah ee Soomaaliyeed. Warshada Daruur ayaa biyaha nadiifka ah ee ay siin jirtay qaybo badan oo kamid ah gobollada Jubooyinka, Gedo, Baay iyo Bakool, waxaa biyaheeda looga maarmay biyo laga keeni jiray wadanka Kenya kuwaas caafimaad ahaan aad u liitay dhanka kalena dhaqaale badan looga qaadan jiray shacabka Soomaaliyeed. Sida uu inoo sheegay Cabdullaahi Xasan, waxaa duqeynta ku baaba’day hanti ku dhow 3 boqol oo kun oo doolar, waana markii labaad oo ay diyaaradahan duqeyn ku burburinayaan shirkadda Daruur. "Qof bani’aadam ah oo nool ma jiro oo wax ku noqday, balse hantidaas ayaa ku baaba’day oo aad u farabadan oo qaali ah, lacag gaareysa 2 boqol iyo sideetan ku oo doolar ayaa ku baaba’day” sidaasi waxaa yiri, Gudoomiye ku-xigeenka shirkadda biyaha Daruur, Cabdullaahi Xasan. Dowladda Federaalka ayaa sheegtay in duqeynta Saakow ay geysteen waxa ay ugu yeertay saaxiibadeed oo ay ula jeedo Mareykanka iyadoo ku faantay in la burburiyay warshad qaraxyo sameysa, arrintaas oo ah been ay aad ula yaabtay bulshada faraha badan ee macaamiisha u ah shirkadda Daruur. Dadka aqoonyahanka ah ayaa aaminsan in duqaynta noocan oo kale ah oo ay Maraykanku bu beegsanayaan. Mareykanka ayaa horey u beegsaday Isbitaallo, wuxuu dhawaan dad rayid ah ku xasuuqay Jamaame isagoo adeegsanaya diyaarado iyo calooshood u shahqeystayaal, sidoo kale wuxuu shacab maati ah ku laayay duleedyada degmada Afgooye iyo meelo kale, waxaana muuqanaya in xukuumadda Washington ay ka sarriig badan tahay DF, maxaa yeelay tacaddiyada aadka usii fool xun ma sheegtaan balse, waxay usoo dhiibaan DF si ay guulo uga dhigato. Waayihii dambe waxaa aad usoo kobcayay wacyiga bulshada ee ku aadan duqeymaha Mareykanka, boqollaal dad ah oo aan waraysanay, waxay sheegeen iney ogaadeen in aan loo socon cid gaar ah balse ay dareemayaan in Mareykanka iyo xulufadiisu cadawsanayaan qof kasta oo ashahaata, iyagoo tusaale usoo qaadanaya masaajidda, dugsiyada Qur’aanka, ganacsiyada, caruurta iyo haweenka la beegsanayo ee haddana lagu tilmaamayo iney "argagixiso” ahaayeen.

What happened last night in Saakow District? Did the Somali government destroy a weapons factory or a water filtration factory?! Government forces were deployed in a large square where the AS gathers people during the holidays. What happened? The government forces were confronted by men from the AS, known as the party, who work like police when they are among the group. The group and government forces fought there, after which the government forces retreated and their planes crashed. What happened? The moment the Somali army returned, an airstrike began on all of Saakow. The sites found in the airstrikes that were destroyed include this factory, which is famous in Somalia and is known as the Durdur Water Factory, and many deaths and injuries occurred inside this factory. The government turned the water filtration factory into a weapons factory. The explosions of the AS Group What went wrong? But the government took a good step in carrying out a direct attack on AS which is a great victory. Someone from my family who is here told me how it happened. Zakariye Timacadde What happened last night in Saakow district? The Somali government has destroyed the explosion weapons factory or the factory that filters water?!… See more   · Hide original   · Rate this translation

Maxaa ka dhacay Xalay Dagmada Saakow ? Dowladda Somalia Warshad Hub qaraxyo & miyee bur burisay ama warshada Biyaha lagu filtareeyo?! Ciidama ka tirsan dowladda Ayaa laga dajiyay garoonka barxad weyn ah oo ay AS waqtiyada Ciidaha dadka ku dujiyaan kadib Maxaa dhacay ? Ciidankii dowladda waxaa ka hor yimid rag ka tirsan AS oo Xisbada looyaqaano una shaqeya sida Boliska Marka lajoogo kooxda dhxdeeda. Kooxdii iyo ciidamada dowladda ayaa halkaas isku dagalaay kadib ciidankii dowladda ayaa dib u gurasho sameeyay diyaaradoodi ayee kulaabteen kadib Maxaa dhacay ? Daqiiqada kadib markii ay laabteen ciidanka Somalia weera cirka ah ayaa ku bilawday reer Saakow oo dhan Goobaha duqeynta lala helay ee bur burtay Waxaa ka Mida Warashadan oo Somalia caan ka ah loona yaqaano warshada Biyaha Durdur dhimasho & dhaawac ayaana ka dhacday gudaha warshadan. Warshadii biyaha filtareenesay ayee dowladda ka dhigtay warshad Hubka & Qraaxyada ay leeyihiin Kooxda AS Maxaa qaldan? Balse dowladda talaaba fiican ayee qaaday oo ah in weerar toos ah lagu qaado AS taas oo ah guul weyn. Qof ka Mida dadka ehlkiisa ay jogaan halkan ayaa iga waramay sida ay wax dhaceyn. Zakariye Timacadde What happened last night in Saakow district? The Somali government has destroyed the explosion weapons factory or the factory that filters water?!… See more   · Hide original   · Rate this translation

In the Saakow District of the Middle Juba Region of Somalia, an operation was carried out by the Danab commandos of the Somali National Army Mohamed Dhayib #EliminationofKhawarijta #EliminationofKhawarijta #Somalia

Gudaha Degmada Saakow ee Gobolka Jubbada Dhexe Somaliya ayaa howlgal ay kumaandooska Danab ee Ciidanka Xogga Dalka Somaliyed ka fuliyeen Maxamed Dhayib #CiribtirkaKhawaarijta #CiribtirkaHaraadigiiKhawaarijta #Somalia

Mogadishu The Somali National Army, in collaboration with international partners including the United States, carried out a planned overnight operation in the Middle Juba region. The operation destroyed what officials described as a major Al-Shabaab facility where explosives were being prepared, killing 18 militants, the Ministry of Defense said on Saturday. The operation, which took place late Friday night in the Saakow district, targeted a factory used by the Al-Qaeda-linked group to manufacture and prepare explosives, according to a statement from the Ministry of Defense and the Somali National Army Command. The facility was completely destroyed during the attack.

Mogadisho Ciidanka Xoogga Dalka Soomaaliyeed oo kaashanaya saaxiibada caalamiga ah ee Mareykanka, ayaa howlgal qorsheysan oo habeenimo ahaa ka fuliyay gobolka Jubada Dhexe. Howlgalkan ayaa lagu burburiyay wax ay saraakiishu ku tilmaameen xaruntii ugu weyneyd ee Al-Shabaab ay ku diyaarin jireen walxaha qarxa, iyadoo lagu dilay 18 xubnood oo ka tirsan maleeshiyada, sida ay sheegtay Wasaaradda Gaashaandhigga maalintii Sabtida. ​Howlgalkan oo dhacay goor dambe oo habeennimadii Jimcaha ahayd ayaa ka dhacay degmada Saakow, waxaana lala beegsaday warshad ay kooxda xiriirka la leh Al-Qaacida u isticmaali jirtay soo saarista iyo diyaarinta aaladaha qarxa, sida lagu sheegay bayaan ka soo baxay Wasaaradda Gaashaandhigga iyo Taliska Ciidanka Xoogga Dalka. Xaruntaas ayaa gabi ahaanba la burburiyay intii uu weerarku socday.

America is fighting against the production of Somalia. American warplanes have completely destroyed a water purifier in Saakow central Jubada. We knew before that he had killed a lot of farmers who were wandering their farms in the outskirts of Afgooye Shabeelah-low. He saw from our eyes that infidel Trump insults our country when destroying it