Mogadishu (Dawan Africa) – The African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) has rejected reports that its forces suffered casualties or lost equipment during a joint military offensive in Bariire, a contested town in the Lower Shabelle region.
In a press statement issued on August 3, AUSSOM dismissed allegations made by Al-Shabaab and repeated in some media outlets, which claimed that African Union armored vehicles had been destroyed and that AU troops had retreated from the area.
The mission confirmed that on August 1, AUSSOM forces, in coordination with the Somali National Armed Forces (SNAF), launched a major offensive to retake Bariire from Al-Shabaab control.
“The joint military operation has resulted in substantial losses for the terrorist group, with over 50 Al-Shabaab militants killed and many others sustaining serious injuries,” the statement said.
Ambassador El Hadji Ibrahima Diene, Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) for Somalia, said the operation is part of ongoing efforts to reclaim territories from militant control.
“AUSSOM and SNAF troops are determined to recapture Bariire town and other territories still under Al Shabaab control to ensure lasting peace and security for the people of Somalia,” said Ambassador Diene.
The statement did not specify whether any AUSSOM or SNAF soldiers were killed or injured during the operation. No independent verification of battlefield casualties has been made available.
AUSSOM, which replaced ATMIS earlier this year, operates under a renewed mandate focused on Somali-led stabilization and joint security operations. Bariire remains one of the key towns in Lower Shabelle historically used as a staging ground by Al-Shabaab.
