Jowhar(Mogadishu24)– Hirshabelle State is intensifying efforts to reduce the growing Al-Shabaab threat along the critical road connecting Bal’ad district and Jowhar town in Middle Shabelle.

Following a rise in hit-and-run attacks, roadside bombs, and targeted assaults on military vehicles, Hirshabelle State President Ali Abdullahi Hussein ‘Gudlaw’ held a strategic meeting Monday with commanders of the Somali National Army (SNA) and local authorities from Bal’ad district.

“Our goal is to eliminate Al-Shabaab from the road connecting Jowhar to Bal’ad, as this road is vital for our economic development,” President Gudlaw said during the meeting.

The road, which links Jowhar—located 90 kilometers north of Mogadishu—with the capital, has been the site of deadly attacks by Al-Shabaab in recent years, despite Somalia’s ongoing war against the group.

Hirshabelle is mobilizing local forces to enhance security, with the SNA leading operations to secure the route, crucial for trade and transportation. The renewed efforts aim to restore safety and stability along this vital corridor.