SOFREP Evening Brief: Al-Shabaab Launches Dawn Assault on Somali Military Hub, UK-France Vow Continued Sanctions Against Haiti’s Criminal Gangs

Welcome back. Here’s your SOFREP evening brief for Thursday, April 17, 2025—covering the day’s key developments in defense, global conflict, and strategic affairs. Trump blocked an Israeli strike on Iran to restart nuclear talks. Al-Shabaab attacked and possibly seized a key Somali military town. Russia removed the Taliban from its terrorist list. UK and France pledged continued sanctions on Haitian gangs. Latvia withdrew from the landmine ban treaty. A third Pentagon official was suspended over a China briefing leak to Musk.

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Trump Blocks Israeli Strike on Iran, Pushes for Nuclear Talks Instead

US President Donald Trump halted an Israeli plan to strike Iranian nuclear facilities, The New York Times reported Wednesday, as the US pursues renewed nuclear negotiations with Tehran.

Israeli officials had reportedly sought US backing for a military operation targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

The proposal, discussed over several months, was ultimately rejected by Trump during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House last week.

Instead, Trump publicly announced a new round of direct US-Iran talks.

The diplomatic move follows Trump’s earlier outreach to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in the form of a letter sent in March. The message urged negotiations while warning of potential military consequences if talks failed.

Speaking to Fox News, it seems that Witkoff says that the U.S. is no longer demanding Iran’s total denuclearization.

Instead, the negotiations have moved to putting limits on enrichment of uranium and the weaponization of its nuclear program, similarly to the JCPOA from 2015 pic.twitter.com/06wtt851Ce

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) April 15, 2025

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is scheduled to meet Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Rome on Saturday. It marks the highest-level US-Iran nuclear engagement since Trump withdrew from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action during his first term.

Despite Tehran’s denial of pursuing nuclear weapons, Iran has accelerated uranium enrichment. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recently expressed “serious concern” over Iran’s stockpile of 274.8 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent—just below weapons-grade level.

The US and Iran have not maintained formal diplomatic ties for over four decades. The Trump administration now seeks a new agreement to contain Iran’s nuclear development through direct diplomacy rather than military intervention.

Al-Shabaab Launches Dawn Assault on Somali Military Hub

Al-Shabaab militants launched a major assault Wednesday on the central Somali town of Adan Yabaal, a key military and logistical hub for government forces.

The attack marks the latest in a series of aggressive operations by the Al-Qaeda-linked group, raising fears of a resurgence.

Fighting erupted around 5:30 a.m. local time, with militants reportedly initiating the assault using explosive-laden trucks before storming into the town.

Somali Army officials described it as a “desperate attack” and said troops were reinforced from nearby outposts to repel the assault.

Al-Shabaab claimed to have seized control of the district. While Somali forces denied that claim, reports from local residents suggest the military has withdrawn. Eyewitnesses said Al-Shabaab fighters were seen patrolling the streets, and several wounded government troops were evacuated to the nearby town of Moqokori.

Adan Yabaal, located approximately 220 kilometers north of Mogadishu, has served as a forward operating base for Somali operations against Al-Shabaab in the Middle Shabelle and Hiiraan regions. Government forces captured the town from militants in December 2022 during a major offensive supported by African Union peacekeepers.

Press Release
In a joint operation, the @USAfricaCommandAfric collaborated with the Federal Government of Somalia to execute a precision airstrike against vessels laden with advanced military equipment destined for the terrorist organization Al-Shabaab
Read moer👇 pic.twitter.com/cSKY3GVcUu

— Ministry of Information, Culture & Tourism (@MOISOMALIA) April 17, 2025

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud visited Adan Yabaal just last month to meet military leaders and assess the counter-insurgency campaign.

The latest attack follows a March attempt by Al-Shabaab to target the president’s convoy in Mogadishu.

The Somali government has not confirmed whether it maintains control of Adan Yabaal following Wednesday’s assault. The extent of casualties on either side remains unclear.

Russia Lifts Terrorist Designation on Taliban, Citing Strategic Interests

Russia’s Supreme Court on Thursday officially removed the Taliban from its list of terrorist organizations, ending a two-decade designation that had criminalized any formal contact with the group.

The decision, initiated by the Prosecutor General’s Office, followed legislation passed last year allowing courts to suspend terrorist labels under specific conditions. The ruling marks a diplomatic win for the Taliban, who seized control of Afghanistan in August 2021 following the US and NATO withdrawal.

Despite the prior designation, Russia had already hosted Taliban delegations at regional forums, signaling Moscow’s shifting posture toward Kabul.

Officials now frame Taliban engagement as critical to regional stability, particularly amid concerns about the Islamic State-Khorasan (ISIS-K) presence in Afghanistan.

The move aligns Russia with regional allies Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, who also dropped the Taliban from their terrorism lists in recent years.

⚡️⚡️⚡️The Supreme Court of Russia has authorized the activities of the Taliban in Russia. pic.twitter.com/4XmmrpQBzN

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) April 17, 2025

Recent diplomatic contacts between the Taliban and the US under President Donald Trump have largely centered on prisoner exchanges.

Russia’s decision is expected to facilitate deeper political and economic ties with Kabul but stops short of official recognition of the Taliban government.

UK and France Vow Continued Sanctions Against Haiti’s Criminal Gangs

Britain and France pledged Wednesday to sustain pressure on Haiti’s armed gangs through sanctions, amid worsening instability and escalating violence in the Caribbean nation.

In a joint statement, the two European powers expressed concern over reports that criminal groups are coordinating efforts to undermine Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council.

“We are committed to maintaining pressure on those who seek to destabilize Haiti via the implementation of sanctions,” the statement read, urging Haitian authorities to enforce the existing sanctions regime.

The United Nations Security Council renewed an arms embargo on Haiti in October, calling on member states to halt all arms and related shipments. The sanctions list currently includes seven leaders of Haiti’s most powerful gangs.

Large portions of Haiti, including areas in and around the capital Port-au-Prince, are under the control of rival armed groups. These gangs have intensified territorial clashes in recent weeks, seeking dominance over strategic zones in the capital.

The violence has claimed at least 1,518 lives and injured 572 people during the first quarter of 2025, according to the United Nations. The casualties stem from gang attacks, government security operations, and confrontations involving local self-defense groups.

🇭🇹 🇫🇷 Imposée par la #France en 1825 en échange de son indépendance, la dette d’#Haïti marque encore les mémoires.

➡️ Paris et Port-au-Prince commémoreront cet épisode ce jeudi, dans un contexte de violence des gangs qui ravage le pays pic.twitter.com/COFwTT7Wq6

— FRANCE 24 Français (@France24_fr) April 17, 2025

A Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS), led by Kenya and operating under UN auspices since 2023, remains in Haiti but continues to face funding shortages and logistical challenges.

Haiti remains the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with a fragile political system and chronic exposure to gang violence undermining governance and humanitarian efforts.

Latvia Exits Anti-Personnel Mine Ban

Latvia voted on Wednesday to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention, the international treaty banning anti-personnel landmines, as it strengthens defense measures in response to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine.

The Latvian parliament approved the move by a wide margin. The decision will take effect six months after the country formally notifies the UN.

Latvian officials say the shift is necessary to give their armed forces full flexibility in the event of a military conflict.

“Withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention will give our armed forces room for manoeuvre in the event of a military threat to use all possible means to defend our citizens,” said Inara Murniece, chair of the parliament’s foreign affairs committee.

Latvia becomes the first of five regional countries—including Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, and Finland—that recently announced plans to abandon the treaty amid escalating security fears. The US and Russia have never signed the convention, while Ukraine remains a signatory.

The Ottawa Convention bans the use, production, stockpiling, and transfer of anti-personnel mines, which are widely condemned by humanitarian groups due to their long-term civilian toll.

Critics note that the devices often leave survivors maimed and pose a threat long after conflicts end.

Despite the withdrawal, Latvia and its neighbors emphasized continued adherence to international humanitarian law.

“It is essential to evaluate all measures to strengthen our deterrence and defense capabilities,” Baltic and Polish defense ministers said in a joint statement.

The International Committee of the Red Cross labeled the move “a dangerous setback for the protection of civilians in armed conflict.” According to the Landmine Monitor, annual casualties from landmines have dropped from 25,000 in the 1990s to under 5,800 in 2023, with millions of mines destroyed globally over three decades.

Lithuania, Poland, Latvia and Estonia have announced their withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention on Anti-Personnel Mines. pic.twitter.com/cwrgTYZRTl

— Lithuanian MOD 🇱🇹 (@Lithuanian_MoD) March 18, 2025

The move follows Lithuania’s withdrawal from a separate treaty banning cluster munitions last month, also citing the Russian threat—a decision that drew condemnation from human rights organizations.

Third Pentagon Official Suspended Amid Leak Probe Tied to China Briefing for Musk

The Pentagon suspended a third senior political appointee on Wednesday as part of an ongoing leak investigation surrounding a proposed top-secret China briefing for Elon Musk.

Colin Carroll, chief of staff to the deputy defense secretary, was removed from his post, a defense official confirmed.

Carroll joins Dan Caldwell, a senior adviser to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Darin Selnick, Hegseth’s deputy chief of staff, in being sidelined amid suspicions they leaked classified information to The New York Times.

The original story reported that the Pentagon planned to brief Musk—under presidential orders—on potential war scenarios involving China.

NEW: The Pentagon has put a *THIRD* top advisor to Pete Hegseth on leave as part of a leak probe.

Colin Carroll, chief of staff to Deputy SecDef Stephen Feinberg, was escorted out of the building on Wednesday.

Two Top Hegseth advisors also suspended.https://t.co/pa1xbBSIcn

— Jack Detsch (@JackDetsch) April 16, 2025

The investigation has rattled Pentagon leadership, especially as Caldwell and Selnick are longtime Hegseth allies with close ties to the Trump-aligned nonprofit Concerned Veterans for America. Both were appointed to powerful positions shortly after President Trump returned to office in January 2025.

Carroll previously worked at defense contractor Anduril Industries and served as chief operating officer at the Pentagon’s Joint Artificial Intelligence Center under the Biden administration, where he was reportedly fired for creating a hostile work environment.

The leak probe is just the latest in a series of staff shake-ups within the top echelons of the Pentagon.

Last month, Hegseth’s office removed senior spokesperson John Ullyot after he issued controversial statements defending the removal of military media content featuring minority and female service members, including baseball legend and Army veteran Jackie Robinson.

Ullyot’s replacement, Sean Parnell, acknowledged content had been “inadvertently pulled” due to software and artificial intelligence (AI) tools but also suggested malicious actions may have been involved. The Defense Department has since expanded content removals and implemented book bans across military libraries, including at the US Naval Academy.

As of Wednesday, Pentagon officials have not commented on the specifics of the leak investigation, and inquiries to Caldwell and Selnick remain unanswered.

Sources: News Agencies