A senior Al-Shabaab commander has reportedly been captured during a counter-terrorism operation conducted by Somali special forces near the Kenya-Somalia border.
Security sources said the operation was carried out in Baghdad town, approximately 42 kilometres from Hosingow in Somalia’s Sub Sector Central, an area located close to the Kenyan border.
The suspected Al-Shabaab leader was reportedly arrested alive during the operation, while three other suspected militants were killed.
Images from the operation showed a man believed to be the captured commander kneeling on the ground with his hands tied as security officers carried out the arrest.
Authorities believe the suspect was travelling towards Kenya alongside other suspected Al-Shabaab members and was allegedly intercepted before crossing into the country.
Among the items recovered during the operation were an assault rifle, tactical equipment, mobile phones and documents believed to be linked to the militant group.
The operation forms part of ongoing efforts by Somali and Kenyan security agencies to disrupt Al-Shabaab networks operating in areas near the shared border.
Security officials said the capture could provide crucial intelligence on the group’s activities, leadership structure and movement networks across the region.
Al-Shabaab has continued to pose a security threat in Somalia and Kenya, carrying out attacks targeting civilians, security personnel and government institutions in both countries.
Kenya has maintained heightened security along the Kenya-Somalia border, with the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and other security agencies deployed to counter threats posed by the militant group.
The latest operation comes amid concerns over the future of international support for the fight against Al-Shabaab in Somalia.
Reports indicate that the United States has informed the African Union that it would not support the continuation of the United Nations Support Office in Somalia beyond the end of 2026.
The office provides essential logistical support to the multinational peacekeeping mission fighting Al-Shabaab, including supplies such as food, fuel, water, medical assistance and transport services for troops operating in Somalia.
The reported capture of the commander is expected to strengthen regional counter-terrorism efforts as security agencies continue operations aimed at weakening Al-Shabaab’s presence in the Horn of Africa.