Al-Shabaab Exploits Hiiraan Political Crisis as Army Fractures and Local Forces Abandon Frontlines

The latest attack on a government military position in Coomaad exposes the growing security vacuum in Hiiraan, where political divisions have weakened cooperation between federal troops and Macawiisley fighters, allowing Al-Shabaab to regain ground.

HIIRAAN, Somalia (WDN) — Al-Shabaab militants launched an attack on a Somali National Army (SNA) military position in Coomaad, a settlement in Matabaan district, western Hiiraan region, on Sunday morning, triggering an intense confrontation with government forces and allied local fighters.

The assault appears to be part of a broader effort by the militant group to exploit deteriorating security conditions in Hiiraan, where political tensions have undermined military coordination, weakened government positions and disrupted joint counterinsurgency operations.

According to reports from the area, government troops and Macawiisley community fighters were defending the military position when Al-Shabaab launched its offensive. The militants reportedly sought to seize control of Coomaad, a strategically important settlement along transport routes connecting Hiiraan and Galgaduud regions.

The location also links territories administered by HirShabelle and Galmudug states, making its security particularly important for civilian movement, commercial transport and military operations across the two regions.

Political divisions create an opening for Al-Shabaab

The attack comes amid escalating political tensions in Hiiraan that have increasingly affected the region’s security arrangements. Disagreements between local political actors and the HirShabelle administration have weakened the cooperation that previously enabled federal forces and Macawiisley militias to conduct joint operations against Al-Shabaab.

The consequences have been particularly damaging along the frontline. Some federal soldiers have reportedly abandoned their government positions and joined clan-based militias, further undermining the cohesion of the national army and its ability to maintain territorial control.

Meanwhile, most Macawiisley fighters deployed along frontline positions in Hiiraan reportedly withdrew from their posts towards the end of last month. Their departure has left government positions more vulnerable and reduced the local intelligence, manpower and community support that had been essential to earlier military successes.

Al-Shabaab appears to have recognised and exploited this weakening security architecture. Rather than relying exclusively on military offensives, the group has reportedly pursued understandings with some local clans, seeking to reduce resistance and expand its room for manoeuvre in contested areas.

Such arrangements, if sustained, could give the militants an advantage beyond the battlefield by weakening local opposition and complicating efforts to rebuild a coordinated campaign against them.

A weakening federal military presence

The fragmentation of security forces in Hiiraan raises broader questions about the Federal Government’s ability to sustain its counterinsurgency campaign.

The Somali National Army was expected to consolidate gains made through joint operations with Macawiisley fighters. Instead, political disputes and competing clan interests have increasingly drawn soldiers and local forces away from a unified military command.

This fragmentation creates precisely the conditions Al-Shabaab needs: weakened military coordination, abandoned defensive positions and divisions within communities that previously mobilised against the insurgency.

The latest attack in Coomaad therefore cannot be viewed simply as an isolated militant operation. It highlights the relationship between political instability and the deteriorating security environment in central Somalia.

For Al-Shabaab, exploiting disagreements among political leaders and local communities may prove as valuable as launching direct military assaults. The group’s reported engagement with some clans also suggests an effort to combine military pressure with local political manoeuvring.

A wider threat to regional security

Coomaad’s strategic position makes the latest confrontation particularly concerning. Any further deterioration in security could disrupt movement between Hiiraan and Galgaduud, threaten commercial transport and create additional opportunities for Al-Shabaab to expand its operational presence.

The Federal Government and HirShabelle authorities have yet to issue detailed official statements clarifying the circumstances of Sunday’s attack. Casualty figures and the extent of damage remain unconfirmed, while it is not yet clear which side has established full control of the area following the fighting.

The central danger, however, extends beyond Coomaad. Unless the political disputes in Hiiraan are addressed and the national army is restored to a unified command structure, Al-Shabaab will continue to benefit from divisions among the very forces tasked with defeating it.

Somalia’s counterinsurgency campaign cannot succeed when national soldiers are drawn into clan confrontations, local defence forces abandon their positions and political disagreements undermine military cooperation. Every abandoned frontline gives Al-Shabaab an opportunity to return.

The crisis in Hiiraan is therefore a warning that military gains against the insurgency cannot be sustained without political reconciliation, disciplined national forces and a functioning partnership between federal authorities and local communities.

WardheerNews