A helicopter pilot hovered tensely over Awdheegle, fearing mortar attacks from nearby Al-Shabaab militants within minutes of landing.
Roughly 1,000 Somali National Army forces, backed by an African Union contingent, are holding the strategic town outside Mogadishu.
The SNA’s grip remains fragile, and the aging helicopter, one of few operational, risks becoming a target for insurgents.
“Five more minutes, and I would have left you,” the pilot warned reporters before ascending over the town’s shattered remains.
Most buildings in Awdheegle are destroyed. Resident Abdi Osman Hassan, 65, found his house demolished, leaving him with nothing to rebuild.
Nearby settlements Sabiid and Canole tell a similar story, flattened by drone strikes after militants fortified tunnels with explosives.
Overwhelming airpower dislodged militants in June, but retreating fighters destroyed the bridge connecting Sabiid and Canole with heavy dynamite.
A new bridge, built with Turkish assistance, was completed under Ugandan army supervision, despite harsh frontline conditions and scarce resources.
Somalia has battled Al-Shabaab since the mid-2000s, with towns like Awdheegle repeatedly changing hands amid shifting offensives.
Recent army gains in 2022 and 2023 recaptured 200 settlements, yet militants regained 90 percent, threatening bridges critical for access to Mogadishu.
The army relies heavily on African Union forces, though shrinking funding leaves SNA overstretched, analysts warn of looming capacity shortfalls.
National security advisor Awes Hagi Yusuf highlighted new partnerships with Turkey and UAE, framing Somalia’s fight against Al-Shabaab as a global war.
Residents remain sceptical, struggling to rebuild destroyed homes, farms, and infrastructure amid ongoing insecurity and limited government support.
Muslimo Hassan Isaq, 56, described living in a makeshift home outside Mogadishu, lamenting the absence of aid or reconstruction plans.
Analysts note legitimacy issues persist for both government and militants; the population prioritises whoever provides immediate security and minimal justice.
