MOGADISHU, Somalia – Al-Qaeda-linked Somalia-based Al-Shabaab militants have stepped up attacks in the country amid a deepening electoral and political crisis that delayed the referendum.
The militants have briefly taken control of the Barire military base, reports show after fierce fighting with the Somali national army [SNA] Saturday morning, leaving dozens of militants and soldiers dead.
However, the fighters failed to take control of Awdheele town in Lower Shabelle after being repulsed by Gor-Gor troops, who washed them away during the several hours of attack Saturday morning, sources said.
The region is a known stronghold of the militants, but recently they have lost control in several villages to the Somali National Army, the African Union mission forces in Somalia and other Allied troops who have worked to liberate the country.
Barire, according to sources, is now under full control of the Al-Shabaab militants after they managed to flush out the Somali army forces manning the area. It is not clear how many people died in the process from both sides of the teams.
But in Lafole, a vehicle-born improvised explosive device [VBIED] targeted troops who had been sent from Mogadishu for reinforcement, with Army Chief Gen Odowa Yusuf Rage said to have been part of the convoy that became ambush.
A source confirmed to Axadlethat SNA chief General Odowa Yusuf Rage was traveling in the convoy of reinforcements hit by the explosion in the Lafoole area as he hurried to the bases in Barire and Awdhegle, which arrived during Al-Shabab attacks. The Army has yet to confirm.
Somali military officials in the Lower Shabelle region reported that 100 militants were killed in bloody fighting in Awdhegle. Al-Shabaab, for its part, claimed victory over the battle, saying its fighters crossed the army bases, killing 47 soldiers, seizing tanks and weapons.
The commander of the Somali Infantry National Army, General Bihi, who spoke about the early morning clashes between FGS troops and Al Shabab in the Lower Shabelle region, said many members of the group were killed and 10 prisoners captured alive.
Shortly after the attacks in Lower Shabelle, a bomber detonated himself at a restaurant in the Mogadishu Shangani area on Saturday night, killing at least 6 people, mostly innocent young people.
AXADLETM
