SOMALIA, Afgoye: In a photograph dated 26 May and released by the African Union-United Nations Information Support Team 27 May, Ugandan soldiers serving with the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) are seen on the the back of military trucks in the town of Afgoye to the west of the Somali capital Mogadishu as they prepare to deploy south of the town on the road to Merka. An joint-AMISOM and Somali National Army (SNA) offensive has driven the Al-Qaeda-affiliated extremist group Al Shabaab from the strategically important area of the Afgoye corridor, which the group used as a base to launch attacks inside Mogadishu and is also home to hundreds of thousands of refugees. With the extremists gone, the area is now secure for humantarian aid to reach the internally displaced peoples camps and opens the road between the agriculturally productive area of Afgoye and the Somali capital, allowing freedom of movement of goods, produce and people alike. AU-UN IST PHOTO / STUART PRICE.
Intense fighting erupted at the southern edge of Somalia as Al Shabaab militants attempted to seize three military bases on Monday, resulting in numerous deaths of fighters, according to officials and the insurgent group.
A local security source reported that government troops successfully defended the bases and neutralised four car bombs approximately 80 km (50 miles) southwest of Kismayo, a port city in Jubbaland state.
Videos shared by Jubbaland officials on social media revealed at least 35 bodies dressed in military attire near Buulo-Xaaji village.
In a statement released by the state-run Somalia National News Agency (SONNA) said,“We thank the federal and Jubbaland forces who killed over 80 al Shabaab fighters and took their weapons.”
Discrepancies between the government’s and al Shabaab’s casualty reports are common. Farah Hussein, a military official, reported that five soldiers lost their lives.
“We got the information that al Shabaab was coming, we deserted the three bases and then encircled their fighters, killing dozens of them. I counted 30 dead al Shabaab, and I could see even more bodies lying ahead of me,” Hussein said.
Conversely, al Shabaab claimed on its affiliated radio station that it had successfully overrun the bases and killed several soldiers. The region, located near the Kenyan border and traditionally known as al Shabaab’s stronghold, was taken by government forces three months prior.
Al Shabaab, linked to al Qaeda, has been striving to enforce a rigid form of Islamic law across Somalia since 2007.
Mbamalu Nancy
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