Al-Shabaab Militants Claim to have Captured Barire, Lower Shebelle
Category: Instability
Severity: 3 (Moderate)
Source: Drum Cussac
10/14/2017 (Somalia) - Emerging reports on social media on Saturday, 14 October, indicate that al-Shabaab militants claim to have seized control of the Barire area of the Lower Shebelle region following the departure of Somali government forces. There are currently no reports of significant fighting on Saturday morning and it is unclear why the Somali troops left the area. However, al-Shabaab militants frequently claim to have captured areas in the Lower Shebelle region as soon as government forces are redeployed or withdrawn. The territorial gains are often short-lived with government or African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) forcing the militants to retreat. Barire has seen frequent clashes between al-Shabaab fighters and security forces in recent months with the militant group launching a major attack against a Somali military base in the area at the end of September. In August, at least nine civilians were killed in the Barire area when they were mistakenly fired upon by security forces, allegedly accompanied by US military advisors.
Those in the Lower Shebelle region are advised to avoid the Barire area in the immediate term due to the al-Shabaab presence and potential for government counter-attacks. Travellers should monitor local media and liaise with in-country sources for further updates on the situation in the area. Somalia remains an extreme risk operational environment and, as such, all travel should be undertaken with the strictest possible security risk management protocols in place. Clients should ensure that personnel and site security measures are continually reviewed so as to remain commensurate to the local threat environment. All operationally-critical movement outside of secure compounds should be conducted in coordination with a reputable security provider and local authorities.
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