AWDHEEGLE, Somalia – Al-Shabaab militants launched a deadly attack on a government military base in Somalia’s Awdheegle district on Saturday, triggering bombings and fierce fighting that inflicted heavy casualties, local sources said.
The assault in the Lower Shabelle region began with explosive-laden vehicles targeting the base, followed by intense close-quarters combat between the Islamist fighters and Somali National Army troops, according to witnesses.
Local reports indicated significant losses from the bombings and subsequent clashes, with both deaths and injuries, though exact figures were not immediately available.
In a statement, Somalia’s federal government said its forces repelled the attack, with the army detecting and countering the militants’ tactics.
“The Somali National Army courageously thwarted an attempted attack by Al-Shabaab militants aiming to harm Awdheegle residents,” the statement said. “The soldiers dealt them a significant blow and are now pursuing the surviving remnants.”
Military operations against Al-Shabaab continue in the tense district, the government added, with troops chasing down the remaining fighters.
The attack follows a similar assault last week in Beledweyne, where Al-Shabaab bombed a hotel and battled security forces, killing several elders and military officials.
Al-Shabaab, which often launches surprise early morning raids on government bases, has been waging coordinated strikes despite ongoing Somali military efforts to dislodge the group from its strongholds.
In the Lower and Middle Shabelle regions near the capital Mogadishu, Somali forces have intensified operations to reclaim territory once controlled by the militants, who remain a persistent threat in the Horn of Africa nation.
HORN LIFE
