Soldiers killed in ambush against military convoy in Somalia
KISMAYO, Somalia – Jubaland security forces suffered a heavy blow when Al-Shabaab first targeted them in as many months, in an ambush in Kudha, Lower Jubba, near Kismayo, the regional administrative capital of Jubaland.
At least 8 soldiers were killed in the ambush targeting a convoy of security forces patrolling the small town, officials said. The lower Jubba region is prone to attacks from Al-Shabaab.
The ambush also left 10 security officers seriously injured and have since been taken to various hospitals in Jubaland, state reports said. The attack was the first on Jubaland security forces in as many months, officials added.
Jubaland’s security team worked closely with the Kenya Defense Forces [KDF] and the Ethiopian National Defense Forces [ENDF] occupying parts of Sectors III and VI of AMISOM jurisdiction in Sector South, which is responsible for security in the region.
The teams succeeded in securing several strategic towns from al-Shabaab militants, including Kismayo, which once served as Al-Shabaab’s headquarters in the Horn of Africa country. The KDF team is credited for the recent progress within Jubaland.
Coincidentally, the attack comes hours after authorities in Jubaland warned elders against dealing with al-Shabab, promising to take action against anyone who adheres to the group’s orders in the run-up to elections in Somalia.
Al-Shabab established bases around Kismayo as Jubaland, SNA and AU forces failed to liberate the entire region so people could live without fear. Elders play an important role in Somali elections and activists are known to compromise them for seats in parliament.
For security reasons, al-Shabab alumni in Somalia fear disobeying the group’s orders not to participate in the elections and also fear a backlash from the government and federal state security agencies. In 2019, some 159 alumni who voted for MPs in 2016 registered with Al-Shabaab.
Elsewhere, a roadside bomb explosion targeted an AU military convoy carrying Ugandan soldiers on a road between Bula Mareer and Golweyn in the Lower Shabelle region, south of # Somalia, killing a soldier and injuring a Somali translator, residents said.
In the Somali state of Northeastern State, security forces killed dozens of ISIS militants and destroyed their hiding place near the Balidhidin area of the Bari region, where the state security minister , Abdisamad Gallan, was targeted by IED last month. Northeastern State forces have targeted IS-Somalia extremists in recent operations.
ONLINE AXADLE
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