The federal government of Somalia claimed success in a recent fight with Al-shabab fighters in Baar-Sanguuni town, outside Kismayo on Monday.
Al-shabab fighters raided a military base in Baar-Saanguuni prompting a gun-battle with Somali National Army and Jubbaland forces that lasted for half an hour.
The assistant minister of information, Aden Isak Ali who addressed the media in Mogadishu stated that the government forces have killed 87 Al-shabab fighters during a battle between the sides in the military base.
The minister added that the SNA together with Jubbaland forces have successfully repulsed the attacks of Al-shabab fighters putting to a stop their intentions to overrun the base.
Ali also stressed that joint forces are carrying out massive intelligence-led operations to hunt down and dismantle al-shabab networks and hideouts in the area.
The sentiment of the deputy minister comes as reports from the area indicate that military planes conducted air strikes against Al-Shabab in retaliation for the Monday’s dawn raid against an SNA camp in Bar-Sanguni.
Meanwhile, the Somali military were deployed to the area in advance and took positions around the camp.
Al-Shabab which claimed responsibility of the dawn attack on the military base said its fighters killed 27 Somali soldiers in the attack.
“We first attacked the base with a suicide car bomb and then stormed. We killed 27 soldiers and took the base. Some soldiers fled into the jungles,” Abdiasis Abu Musab, Al-Shabab’s military operation spokesman said.
The base which lies some 50 km (31 miles) away from the port city of Kismayu has been jointly operated by the Somali national army and forces from Jubbaland region of southern Somalia.
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