At least three Somali soldiers were killed and two injured in a roadside explosion targeting a military vehicle along the coastal road between Dhanaane and Gendershe in Lower Shabelle region on January 31, 2026, evening, as reported by BaidoaOnline. The attack underscores ongoing militant threats in southern Somalia linking Marka to Mogadishu. Concurrently, Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) conducted a special operation in Maha Sa’id village, Middle Shabelle region, targeting senior Al-Shabaab leaders during a meeting, according to an NISA statement posted during the reporting window from 9:15 PM on January 31 to 12:15 AM on February 1. Three Al-Shabaab fighters surrendered in Baar Sanguni near Kismayo, handing over weapons, marking the third such incident in a week, per Jubaland News via Wacdar. Unverified reports from Middle Shabelle claimed Turkish airstrikes hit civilian sites, killing 15 civilians, with F-16 jets spotted in Mogadishu earlier in the week, as posted by Takber_v2. In a separate development, Somalia’s National ID Authority opened its fourth registration center in Taleh District, Sool region, North Eastern State, to improve access to identification services, according to NIRA via MowliidHaji. A salary crisis emerged for Somali National Security Forces, with USD 3.5 million in January and February payments delayed after Qatar funding failed to arrive, following UAE's cessation of monthly support; funds were sourced from Mogadishu land sales under President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, multiple sources including BaidoaOnline reported. In Somaliland, Telesom Managing Director Abdikarim Mohamed Eid appeared in released Epstein documents advocating for international recognition. The Tigray People’s Liberation Front welcomed an African Union call for restraint in Ethiopia’s Tigray region in a letter to AU Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, reaffirming dialogue commitment, per Addis Standard.
