Fierce clashes broke out early Saturday in the town of Masagaway, located in Somalia’s central Galgadud region, marking the first major confrontation in the area after over a year of stalled military operations against insurgents.

The violence erupted when a vehicle packed with explosives targeted positions held by the Somali National Army (SNA) and allied clan militias, sparking intense firefights between the two sides.

In response, the Somali federal government announced that its forces had successfully repelled the attack. A government statement declared, “The Somali National Army and defense forces stationed in Masagaway, Galgaduud region, have foiled a surprise assault by the Khawarijites [Al-Shabaab], inflicting heavy losses on the enemy.”

On the other hand, Al-Shabaab issued a conflicting statement, claiming that they had taken control of the town, killed nine soldiers, injured eleven others, and seized military vehicles and weapon stockpiles.

The conflicting reports from both sides remain difficult to verify independently due to the town’s remote location and a telecommunications blackout that followed the clashes. The reason behind the disruption in communication remains unknown.