MOGADISHU, Somalia – Fierce fighting broke out on Saturday in Somalia’s Wajid district, Bakool region, between Ethiopian forces and Al-Shabaab militants, killing at least four Ethiopian soldiers and wounding several others, local sources and officials said.
The clashes erupted when Al-Shabaab fighters ambushed a convoy of Ethiopian troops traveling from Wajid’s airfield to a military base on the district’s outskirts, according to reliable local sources. The attack triggered hours of intense hand-to-hand combat and heavy weaponry exchanges, the sources added.
Vehicles in the Ethiopian convoy were set ablaze during the assault, and casualties were reported on both sides, though exact figures for Al-Shabaab losses were unclear. Ethiopian military officials said their forces repelled the attack and launched search operations to track down the militants.
“The Ethiopian troops successfully defended against the Al-Shabaab assault and are pursuing those responsible,” an official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The situation in Waajid remains volatile, with Ethiopian forces, part of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), and Somali National Army troops conducting joint operations in the area, the sources said.
Al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda-affiliated group, has a strong presence in Bakool, frequently targeting military bases and isolating districts in Somalia’s southwest state. Recent weeks have seen intensified attacks on Ethiopian and Somali government forces in Wajid, underscoring the ongoing challenge of curbing the insurgency.
Horn Life
