Al-Shabaab lays ambush on Somali army base outside Mogadishu, casualties reported

Al-Shabaab militants attacked a military base under Somali National Army in the outskirt of Mogadishu Sunday night, reportedly killing several of Somali soldiers.

Goobjoog News correspondent in Lower Shabelle region, Mohamed Abdi Hassan says Al-Shabab militants have overrun the base.

“Al-Shabaab fighters took control of the base at Laanta-Buuro. They set alight SNA water boozer and captured two trucks,” said Goobjoog News correspondent.

Residents told Goobjoog News that soldiers from SNA left the base and fighters looted everything in the camp. “Al Shabaab has been manning every corner of base but left the area at daybreak,” said a resident. He added some residents left their homes following the attack.

The group, which is aligned with al Qaeda, said it took over the base after its fighters engaged heavy gun battle with the soldiers at the base, and also controlled the whole area, capturing nearly 10 trucks and armored vehicles.

Al Shabaab has been driven out of major strongholds in Somalia by AMISOM and Somali army offensives launched last year. But the group still controls some rural areas and often launches guerrilla-style assaults and bomb attacks.

Al-Shabab carried out similar attacks on Janale base run by Ugandan soldiers last year with a similar attack in Leego in 2014, all in the Lower Shabelle region. In January this year, Al-Shabaab attacked a Kenyan military base in El-Adde, Geddo region. All these attacks resulted in deaths of Amisom soldiers.