Battle of Osweyne

Battle of Osweyne
	Part of Somali Civil War (2009–present)
	; Al-Shabaab insurgents assaulting Somali National Army positions at Osweyne
Date	26 August 2023
Location	Osweyne, Galmudug
Result	Decisive Al-Shabaab victory ; Somali National Army retreats on Galmudug state front line; Overall counterinsurgency offensive against Al-Shabaab stalls;
Belligerents
al-Shabaab	Federal Government of Somalia
Commanders and leaders
	Shaah Macabe (MIA)
Strength
Unknown	2,000 SNA troops
Casualties and losses
190± killed (Somali gov claim);	100+ killed (Independent claims) ; ; 130 killed (SNA claim); 178 killed (Insurgent claim)40 vehicles, including APCs captured by insurgents;

The Battle of Osweyne also known as Osweyne debacle was a major military engagement fought on 26 August 2023 between the Somali National Army (SNA) and the insurgent group Al-Shabaab in Galgaduud region, central Somalia. The battle occurred during the second phase of a government-led counterinsurgency campaign, which aimed to expel Al-Shabaab from rural strongholds.

Al-Shabaab launched a coordinated counterattack on an SNA encampment in Osweyne, exploiting poor logistical preparation and low morale among government forces. The battle resulted in a significant defeat for the SNA, with heavy casualties and a collapse of front line positions in the region. It was among the deadliest single attacks against Somali government troops in recent years and marked a major turning point in offensive operations against the insurgency.

The battle exposed serious deficiencies in military planning, intelligence, and command coordination within the SNA, prompting widespread criticism of the Federal Government of Somalia's handling of the offensive.