source: VOA; Radio Kulmiye; AFP; AP
actor1: Military Forces of Somalia (2017-)
actor2: Al Shabaab
location: Bar-Sanguun
notes: 23 July. Al Shabaab attacks a military base in Bar-sanguni, leading to a battle lasting over an hour. Causalities on both sides - VOA report, later in the week, per a military source: 'We have lost six fighters; our forces were successful in defeating al-Shabab in this operation, and we have killed 87 militants.' Later reports indicate that government forces captured a number of al-Shabaab controlled villages, including Arare.