Dhobley, 09 February 2026 – Last month, Hussein Ahmed, 33, from Hoosingo Township, was travelling with other passengers through the Baghdad-Koromi area near Hoosingo when the vehicle, which was carrying khat, was ambushed by Al-Shabaab militants. The attackers fired at the vehicle, took control of it and drove away.
Ahmed was wounded during the attack and left bleeding by the side of the road before the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) troops at the nearby Hoosingo Tactical Operating Base came to his rescue.
When the AUSSOM soldiers reached the scene, they found Hussein lying there, bleeding heavily from two serious gunshot wounds to his upper right chest. He also had a ruptured lung.
To save his life, the soldiers provided urgent first aid, using Tactical Combat Casualty Care to stop the bleeding. They then evacuated the injured civilian to the camp for further treatment, following standard procedures. The next morning, on 29 January, Hussein was flown to the Dhobley AUSSOM Level II Hospital, where he underwent surgery and is now in stable condition.
Without the AUSSOM troops’ intervention, Hussein might not have survived. The first aid administered at the scene kept him stable through the night.
Speaking from his hospital bed, surrounded by his family, Hussein said he owes his life to the quick response, professionalism, and timely care of the AUSSOM Kenyan troops.
He praised the AUSSOM soldiers for their courage, compassion, and dedication to protecting civilians.
Hussein said their actions during a critical moment restored his hope and showed the important role AUSSOM forces play in keeping communities safe.
Through quick, life-saving interventions where medical care is limited, such actions help prevent deaths, build trust with local communities, and support stability in rural Somalia.
