On April 7, 2025, Al-Shabaab targeted a Somali government base in Arbacow, located approximately 18 km from central Mogadishu.
Documentation on Somali-affiliated social media shows evidence of improvised rocket ordnance, believed to be IRAMs. This incident represents the first known use of IRAMs by Al-Shabaab. The organization’s transition to this weapon indicates a leap forward in their capabilities.
Al-Shabaab has recently increased its activity in Somalia and given the ongoing fighting between the organization and security forces in several areas, Al-Shabaab’s use of IRAMs introduces several new variables into the tactical equation: enhanced lethality, greater unpredictability in flight paths, and an ability to strike from concealed or dispersed launch sites. The use of IRAMs complicates detection, interception, and preemptive defense strategies, posing an expanded threat not just to military forces but also to civilian infrastructure previously considered insulated from such attacks.
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