MOGADISHU, Somalia – Outgoing Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble visited Somalia’s national army on Monday [SNA] troops at the military hospital in Mogadishu, where dozens of them are undergoing treatment after several Al-Shabaab attacks in Lower Shebelle on Saturday.
The Somali-based Al-Shabaab militants ran over Awdheele and Barire military bases early Saturday morning, leading to fierce fighting with the troops paying attention. This was the first time Al-Shabaab attacked SNA bases in so many months.
Roble, who was accompanied by his staff, was seen visiting several beds where the soldiers are busy and will be heard, giving them encouragement. While some are seen smiling, others could hardly speak and show off the pain they were going through.
The Prime Minister also thanked them for the sacrifice they have brought to their country and asked them never to give up. The attack comes at a time when the country’s leadership is struggling to find a solution to the current political stalemate in Somalia.
Al-Shabaab Media Al-Kataib posted photos and videos of their group’s fighting at Barire and Awdhegle bases in the Lower Shabelle region. The militants claimed that the Barire military base is under their control, but the government has persistently denied this.
The SNA Force claimed to have repulsed the attack and killed 100 Al Shabaab members. Al Shabab claimed that 60 soldiers were killed in the fighting, but Army General Yusuf Rageh Odowaa insisted that only 14 soldiers were killed in the attack.
Al-Shabaab still controls large parts of central and southern Somalia in the countryside, but a concerted effort by the Allied military has caused the group to lose some of the stronghold significantly. Al-Shabaab is fighting to overthrow the fragile UN-backed Somalia administration.
AXADLETM
