The Somali authorities have confirmed the death of a prominent official in the financial apparatus of the jihadist group Al Shabaab, linked to Al Qaeda, during an operation carried out last week "in coordination with international partners" in the Lower Shabelle region, near the capital, Mogadishu.
According to what the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA, by its acronym in English) detailed in a statement released on social media, the offensive took place on October 23 in the town of Kunyo Barrow and ended with the death of Faisal Yusuf Macalin Cabdule, alias "Abdikarin Horsid", who came to occupy the position of top financial chief of Al Shabaab.
The Intelligence body underlined that the deceased, also known as "Gaagaale", was currently "close to the leadership" of Al Shabaab, an organization he joined in 2007, when he worked in a shop in the Bakara market that "served as a cover for his activities". Between 2007 and 2011 he headed the group's financial structure in Banadir and, later, between 2014 and 2024 he assumed the leadership of this area throughout the organization.
NISA also recalled that Cabdule was replaced in 2024 by Abdulahi Xasan Cabdi Cosoble, who also lost his life in an operation by Somali security forces in the same area of the country. "The elimination of these two finance chiefs represents a significant blow to the leadership and financial networks of the extremists", the Intelligence service emphasized.
In parallel, the president of Somalia, Hasán Sheij Mohamud, stated at the beginning of July that the Army is preparing to launch "a final offensive" with the aim of defeating Al Shabaab, emphasizing that these plans are already being designed by the authorities. At the same time, US forces have intensified in recent weeks the acknowledged attacks against the Islamist group on Somali territory.