KISMAYO (Halbeeg News) – Al-Shabaab fighters have this morning stormed a military base manned by Somalia’s national and regional forces in Southern Somalia.
The attack which took place at a base in the Afmadow district of the Lower Jubba region reportedly started with suicide bombings carried out by two Al-Shabaab fighters driving vehicles laden with explosives.
The explosions and subsequent fighting between Somali forces and al-Shabaab militants in Sakai in the Afmadow district are reported to have caused casualties including death and injuries, although no one has confirmed the official casualties.
Military officials in Jubbaland state said the forces managed to repulse an organized attack, which would have been rather devastating.
Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack, saying their fighters targeted the base which was a meeting between federal and Jubbaland military officials.
The attack comes days after Jubbaland security minister, Yusuf Hussein Osman Dhumaal amassed hundreds of soldiers who are meant to take part in the operations against al-Shabaab fighters in southern Somalia.
Mid-last year, the Somali government with the cooperation of the local communities launched operations against al-Shabaab fighters in central Somalia. The government forces liberated dozens of villages and towns in the Hiiraan, Middle Shabelle and Galgaduud regions.
According to Somali Prime Minister, Hamze Abdi Barre, over 2,000 al-Shabaab fighters killed since the operations against the group started in July last year.
The government claimed to have blocked al-Shabaab-linked bank and mobile accounts with millions of dollars.
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