Somalia: Al-Shabaab Attacks Military Bases in Southern Somalia
The Militant Group AlShabab has launched attacks on Somali military forces in Lower Shabelle region, Somali regional officials said.
The attacks in the early hours of
Saturday, around 4 a.m. local time, targeted military bases in the towns of
Barire and Awdhegle in southern Somalia. The forward operating bases are manned
by the Somali military to protect several bridges along the Shabelle river that
authorities say are key to keeping vehicles carrying explosives from entering
Mogadishu. Attacks started off with suicide car bombs on both bases, followed
by infantry attack, regional officials said.
Speaking to VOA's Somali Service,
Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur Siidi, the governor of Lower Shabelle region, confirmed
the attacks. Siidi said the militants fired mortars on the nearby villages of
Sabiid and Anole. More mortar attacks were reported in the vicinity of Jannaale
town. In recent years, the Somali National Army, in joint operations with
forces of the regional peacekeeping mission, the African Union Mission in
Somalia, or AMISOM has recaptured these villages that were previously under the
control of Al-Shabaab militants.
The Saturday mortar attacks may
have been an effort to disrupt possible reinforcements for government forces,
Somali officials said.
Government forces appear to have
repulsed attack on Awdhegle and defended a key bridge used by civilians and the
military, but there was heavy fighting in Barire town, the officials added.
The Al-Shabab militant group
claimed to have "overrun" the Barire military base. A regional
official, who did not want to be named because he was not allowed to speak to
the media, said Barire bore the brunt of the attack. Two officials said the
militants entered Barire military base without providing further details. The
militants have now been pushed out of Barire, an official said.
Awdhegle and Barire are located 75
kilometers and 60 kilometers southwest of Somalia's capital city of Mogadishu,
respectively.
State controlled national
television has reported that government forces have "foiled"
Al-Shabab attacks on Awdhegle and Barire. Heavy losses have been inflicted on
the militants, according to broadcasts on state TV.
Somali Army chief Brigadier
General Odawaa Yusuf Rageh said "Somali Army killed dozens of terrorist
militants including leaders after Shabab attacked SNA [Somali National Army]
bases in Awdhegle and Barire in Lower Shabelle region," on a Twitter post
through the state-owned media, Somali National Television.
Somali Army killed dozens of
terrorist militants including leaders after Shabab attacked SNA bases in
Awdhigle and Bariire in Lower Shabelle region,Somalia's Army chief GE.Odawa
Yusuf told to State.
Barire was recaptured from
Al-Shabab in May 2019, while government forces retook Awdhegle three months
later. The capture and holding of the towns was hailed as a test for Somali
National Army efforts to "seize and hold" areas recovered from the
militants. SNA is being rebuilt to have the capacity to overtake security
responsibilities from the 22,000 AMISOM peacekeeping forces who have been in
the country since March 2007.
In a separate but related
incident, a suicide car bomb struck a military convoy travelling on the
outskirts of Mogadishu on Saturday morning local time. The convoy was attacked
in the vicinity of Lafole, about 20 kilometers from Mogadishu. The convoy was
heading towards Awdhegle and Barire to reinforce government forces, officials
told VOA's Somali Service.
Government forces also seized a
vehicle carrying weapon for the militants in Lafole area, an official said.
Casualties from these attacks are not yet known.
