Somalia: Al-Shabab attacks military base

Al-Shabab terrorists have targeted a military base in northern Somalia. The terrorist group says it has seized the base and military equipment.

A coordinated offensive was launched this Wednesday by Al-Shabab against an army base in the north of Mudug province, Somalia. Exchanges of fire resulted in numerous human losses on both sides. According to a security source, the attack was repelled by the army, despite the significant number of deaths.

The Somali National News Agency (SONNA) reported that the army, supported by locals, foiled the al-Shabaab attack, inflicting “heavy losses on the terrorists”.

But in a statement, Al-Shabab, which claimed responsibility for the attack, said it had seized the base and now has control over several military equipment including vehicles. The terrorist group said it attacked bases where 1,350 army soldiers were located and killed more than 191 of them, Anadolu reports.

Somalia has been facing growing insecurity for several years. The main threats come from the terrorist groups al-Shabab and Daesh.

Since 2007, the al-Shabab terrorist group has fought the Somali government and the African Union Transitional Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), a multidimensional mission authorized by the African Union and mandated by the United Nations Security Council.

To deal with the attacks, the Somali government launched land and air offensives with its allies, including the United States, against terrorist groups. But the situation remains critical, despite efforts.