Friday June 12, 2026
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency said Thursday it seized a large cache of explosive chemical materials allegedly intended for al-Shabab during an operation in Lower Shabelle region.
NISA said security forces recovered more than 100 yellow jerrycans filled with volatile chemical precursors buried in the Jilib Marka area.
The agency said the materials were hidden by al-Shabab operatives after the group realized security forces had detected its supply routes and were closing in.
“This desperate concealment tactic was deployed immediately after the militants realized that national security agencies had compromised their supply routes and were actively closing in on their position,” NISA said.
The agency said the seizure followed an extended period of surveillance and tracking aimed at intercepting the materials before they could be used in attacks against civilians or state infrastructure.
NISA said images from the operation showed armed security units guarding the excavated containers at the site.
The agency described the operation as a major disruption to al-Shabab’s logistics network in Lower Shabelle, a region that remains a key battleground because of its proximity to Mogadishu and its importance to trade and agriculture.
Al-Shabab has frequently used improvised explosive devices, suicide bombings and roadside blasts in attacks against Somali security forces, government officials and civilians.
Somali security agencies have stepped up operations in Lower Shabelle and other regions as part of a broader campaign to weaken the group’s military and financial networks.
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