Battle of Jicibow

On October 9, troops form the Somali National Army (SNA) and allied Ma'awisley clan fighters attacked the city of Jicibow, an al-Shabaab controlled village in Hiraan. The battle was one of the largest Somali successes during the 2022 Central Somalia offensive.

In July 2022, following a clan rebellion against al-Shabaab in north-central Somalia's Hiraan region, the Somali government and allied Ma'awisley clan militias launched an offensive against al-Shabaab in Hiraan region, later expanding to Galguduud and Middle Shabelle regions.^[1] The offensive was a success initially, with the SNA and Ma'awisley capturing key roadways and liberating the eastern part of Hiraan.

Just prior to the battle, Somali forces and Ma'awisley captured Yasooman, a key al-Shabaab base.^[2]

Forces from the SNA, Ma'awisley, and Djiboutian troops of ATMIS took part in the battle for Jicibow.^[3] Al-Shabaab had attempted to ambush Somali and allied forces at Jicibow and cut off the road connecting Beledweyne and Buloburde, but were thwarted by the Somali government.^[4] They had attacked the area from the west by boat.^[5] After an initial skirmish between allied elements and al-Shabaab along a riverbank near Jicibow, Somali forces deployed reinforcements from Yasooman and Buloberde to defeat al-Shabaab.^[4] Hirshabelle Security Minister Mohamed Abdirahman Khayre said that al-Shabaab forces retreated to a mountain near the village, where they were surrounded.^[4] The Djiboutian ATMIS forces shelled the militants, with unknown results.^[6] Fighting ended after ten hours.^[7]

Initial reports from Somali state media said that 200 militants were killed in the battle, and no Somali casualties were reported.^[8] On October 11, SONNA reported that 250 al-Shabaab militants were killed, 10 were captured, and a large quantity of weapons were seized.^[3] Khayre said that one Ma'awisley militant and two Somali soldiers were killed, and that there were few injuries.^[4] The al-Shabaab militants who participated in the battle were reportedly sent from Bakool Region.^[7]

Following the battle, Somali media said that the al-Shabaab commander for Hiraan region, Rakhib Mohamed Hassan, was killed in the battle at Jicibow.^[9]

The redeployment of troops from Yasooman allowed for security gaps, and al-Shabaab conducted attacks on the village on October 12 as well. Al-Shabaab claimed 117 SNA and allied fighters were killed in the attacks.^[3]