5 Soldiers Among 26 Killed After Al-Shabaab Suicide Bomb Attack On Somali Army Base

On Tuesday, there was an attack on a military camp in Hawadley town in the Middle Shabelle region of Somalia that resulted in 26 deaths and many injuries. According to a report from Sputnik news, five government soldiers and 21 militants from the al-Shabaab group were among those killed in the attack. The attack began with a suicide bomber assaulting the Somali Army base, followed by combat between the army and the terrorists, with gunfire and explosions heard.

According to local reports, the army chief Odowaa Yusuf Rage stated that five soldiers, including a high-ranking officer, lost their lives in the attack on a military camp in Hawadley town in the Middle Shabelle region of Somalia. The attack took place shortly after the army successfully seized the important port of Haradhere, which had been under the control of the al-Shabaab group for 15 years. It’s worth noting that al-Shabaab has lost a significant amount of territory since last August when government forces, supported by local militia, launched an operation in southern and central Somalia.
Al-Shabaab has continued to carry out attacks depsite loosing terrirtory

Despite losing territory, the al-Shabaab group has continued to carry out attacks, mainly targeting African Union forces and government buildings. It was apparently responsible for four fatal bombings in the city center of Hiram over the course of the previous week. It was reported last week that the US Ambassador Larry Andre, Somali Minister of Defense Abdulkadir Mohamud Nur, and Somali National Army Chief Brigadier General Odowaa Yusuf Rage announced that weapons, vehicles, medical supplies, and other equipment worth around $9 million had been donated to the Somali Army by the United States. Along with heavy weapons, the US also provided construction and bomb disposal equipment.

Somali officials have stated that the Al-Shabaab extremist group, which has connections to al-Qaeda, is open to negotiations as the government launches major offensives against them. However, the deputy defense minister has stated that these talks would only be possible with Somali members of the group, not foreign fighters. Al-Shabaab has been working to overthrow the Somali government and implement a strict version of Islamic law in the country for an extended period of time.

Source: republicworld