Simultaneous large explosions were
heard in and around two Somali army bases on Saturday, with the military
confirming that at least nine staffers were killed but asserting the attackers
had “heavy losses” of dozens of dead. The al-Shabab extremist group claimed
responsibility.
In a separate attack Saturday
evening, a suicide bomber detonated an explosive at a tea shop in the Somali
capital, Mogadishu, killing at least six people, police spokesman Sadiq Ali
Adan told The Associated Press. Four other people were wounded. No one immediately
claimed responsibility.
Residents said the attacks at the
army bases occurred in Bariirre and Awdhegleh villages of Lower Shabelle
region, 46 miles south of Mogadishu.
Speaking to the local media, Gen.
Odawa Yusuf Ragheh, the commander of the Somali National Army, confirmed the
twin attacks but said al-Shabab had been repulsed with “heavy losses” among the
extremists.
“They even left some of the bodies of their
slain commanders,” he added, saying his forces were still chasing fleeing
fighters.
Gen. Mohamed Tahlil Bihi, the
commander of the government's infantry forces, told the AP that “we lost nine
of our soldiers and 11 others got wounded from our side.”
He added, “from the Shabab, we
killed 60 of their militias on one spot and 17 others near the other base,” he
said.
An al-Shabab spokesman, Sheikh
Abdulaziz al-Musab, asserted that the group had killed 47 government fighters.
In a statement on the extremists’ radio Andalus, he said the simultaneous
attacks began with suicide car bombs.
There have been fears that the
al-Qaida-linked group would be emboldened by Somalia’s current political crisis
as President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed is under pressure to step aside.
Elections meant for February have been delayed.
Mogadishu on Saturday witnessed
the opening of a meeting between the federal government leaders, including the
president, and the leaders of the five federal member states. They were
expected to discuss the way forward.