Mahaday (Lamaane.net) - Hirshabelle State Police killed two suspected Al-Shabaab militants in Mahaday, Middle Shabelle, on Thursday night, August 20, after authorities said they found them planting explosives at a livestock market.
Police said the two men had planted two explosive devices at the market, which draws livestock traders and residents on Fridays. Security forces moved into the area after receiving information about the suspected plot and confronted the militants before the market opened for its busiest trading day.
Major Suleiman Awsey, Commissioner of Mahaday district police station, said officers had received advance information about the planned attack and responded immediately. He said police shot and killed both suspected militants at the scene, preventing the explosives from being used against civilians.
"We received information about the plot and acted quickly,” Awsey said in an account of the operation released by authorities. Police said one of the explosive devices was recovered and displayed alongside the bodies of the two men. The second device detonated during the operation, with no civilian casualties reported.
Images released after the incident showed the bodies and an explosive device that authorities said had been planted at the market. Officials did not immediately provide technical details about the recovered device or say whether explosive-ordnance specialists had subsequently searched the wider market area.
The operation took place ahead of Friday livestock trading, an important source of commerce for communities around Mahaday. Markets bringing together livestock owners, traders and customers can become particularly crowded, increasing the potential civilian impact of explosives placed in public areas.
Lamaane News Network could not independently verify the identities of the two men or establish whether Al-Shabaab had commented on the police account. No independent eyewitness testimony from the confrontation was immediately available.
The incident comes amid continuing security pressure across Middle Shabelle, where government and Hirshabelle forces have faced persistent Al-Shabaab activity.
Improvised explosive devices remain a significant security threat, posing risks to civilians, government personnel and security forces.
