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4 Somalis Killed in Mogadishu Blast, 12 Burunian Soldiers Killed by Al-Shabaab, 2 Al-Shabaab Fighters Killed in a US Drone Attack

September 19, 2019

 

US drone and Somali Al-Shabaab fighters, file, September 19, 2019	Somali army soldiers, file, September 19, 2019

 

Al-Shabaab claims responsibility for Mogadishu blast

Radio Shabelle, September 19, 2019

A car bomb outside a hotel and restaurant in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, has left at least four people dead and seven injured, police said on Wednesday.

The blast went off around 8 pm (1700 GMT) on the bustling Maka Al-Mukarama street, police spokesman Ali Hassan told dpa, adding that the death toll could rise.

The explosion targeted a Somali lawmaker and a recently opened restaurant in the capital Mogadishu, also leaving six others wounded, Mohamed Bulle, a police officer in Mogadishu, told Anadolu Agency over the phone.

“The explosion was a car bomb attack that targeted multiple vehicles including the vehicle of lower house MP Abdukadir Arabow and a restaurant,” Bulle said.

The wounded were rushed to hospitals for treatment, the police officer said. Police launched an investigation into the incident.

According to local media, Arabow survived the attack, while his bodyguards were among the casualties.

Medical sources also confirmed the casualties to Anadolu Agency over the phone.

Al-Qaida linked group al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the deadly blast.

Just hours before, five people had been injured when a car bomb went off on the outskirts of Mogadishu, including a civil engineer from Turkey.

Meanwhile, the Somali military announced on Wednesday the deaths of a total of 17 al-Shabaab members during various operations, including two prominent commanders.

Fighting erupted between the sides in central Hiiraan Province after the militia tried to ambush Somali troops, the military added.

Several vehicles used by al-Shabaab were destroyed and two fighters were arrested.

Al-Shabaab, which is affiliated with the international al-Qaida terrorist network, regularly launches attacks within the volatile East African nation against government buildings, hotels and restaurants.

https://www.radioshabelle.com/al-shabaab-claims-responsibility-for-mogadishu-blast/

Somali army retakes villages from al-Shabaab

Radio Shabelle, September 18, 2019

Somali army has liberated at least three villages from the al-Shabaab militant group in the country’s southwestern region of Bay on Wednesday, officials said.

Nour Ali Mohamed, acting commander of the Somali military’s 154th battalion, told media that Somali forces liberated Rahole, Biyo-dhale and Bandhub villages from al-Shabaab after an operation against the group in the region.

“During our operation, we have killed several Al-Shabaab militants and wounded several others,” Mohamed added.

Ibrahim Mohamed Nour Shigshigow, the mayor of Dinsor town, said the operation will continue until the Bay region is cleared of al-Shabaab militants.

The operation came days after a bomb explosion near a police station in Dinsor town, which left at least five people dead and four others injured.

US airstrike in Somalia kills at least two Al-Shabaab militants

Radio Shabelle, September 18, 2019

The US Africa Command (AFRICOM) said Wednesday that it had conducted an airstrike against the al-Qaeda affiliated al-Shabaab group in southern Somalia, killing two militants.

The airstrike took place north of the port city of Kismayo, the capital of Lower Jubba, and they were targeted after the group attacked a Somali patrol, according to AFRICOM.

“In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted an airstrike on Al-Shabaab insurgents after they attacked a Somali patrol northwest of Kismayo, Lower Juba Province, Somalia on Sept. 17. At this time, it is assessed the airstrike killed two (2) militants,” AFRICOM said in a statement posted on Twitter.

No civilians were injured or killed as a result of this airstrike, the statement added.

Separately, on Tuesday, Somali National Army Commander Gen. Odawa Yusuf Rage said that the army had killed the al-Shabaab “governor” of the central region of Hiran alongside another senior militant.

Meanwhile, the Jubaland State of Somalia forces said that it had killed more than 15 al-Shabaab fighters in the Lower Jubba region in an operation on Tuesday.

https://www.radioshabelle.com/us-airstrike-in-somalia-kills-at-least-two-al-shabaab-militants/

Twelve Burundians soldiers confirmed dead in an Al Shabaab attack

Radio Shabelle, September 16, 2019

An unspecified number of Burundian peacekeepers were killed Saturday when a military convoy was ambushed by the militant group Al Shabaab north of the Somali capital Mogadishu, security sources said on Sunday.

“We’ve been informed about an ambush in which a number of Burundian soldiers were killed,” Abdikarim Hassan, a local Somali security official told AFP.

A senior official contacted by telephone in the Burundian city of Bujumbura told AFP 12 Burundian soldiers had been killed and six injured.

“Yes it’s true. Unfortunately, 12 of our soldiers were killed and six others injured yesterday (Saturday) by Shabaab militants who ambushed them as they were returning from a security mission in a convoy going from Jowhar to Mogadishu,” the Burundian official said on condition of anonymity.

Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement, claiming to have killed 14 Burundian soldiers.

The soldiers, who were serving with the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia (Amisom), were attacked on the road linking Mogadishu and the city of Jowhar, 90 kilometres (55 miles) north of the capital.

The Shabaab has been fighting for more than a decade to topple the Somali government.

A few hours before the attack a bomb exploded on the same road, killing three people including two local officials, Hassan added.

Resident Ahmed Haji said villagers had heard gunfire and seen bodies.

“Some villagers saw the dead bodies of the AU soldiers near the scene of the ambush, but they could not say their numbers,” he said.

“People heard heavy exchange of gunfire that lasted more than 20 minutes as the Amisom military convoy was passing by the area,” he added.

The attack is the latest in a long line of bombing and assaults claimed by the Al-Qaeda-linked militants.

The Shabaab was driven out of Mogadishu by government forces backed by 20,000 peacekeepers from Amisom in 2011. But they still carry out attacks including suicide bombings against government targets.

https://www.radioshabelle.com/twelve-burundians-soldiers-confirmed-dead-in-an-al-shabaab-attack/

Somaliland leader reverses decision on UAE military base

Radio Shabelle, September 16, 2019

The Somaliland leader confirmed that the agreement between Somaliland and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has not collapsed.

Speaking at Burao University graduation ceremony on Sunday, Muse Abdi Bihi said the airport which is being constructed by UAE will remain opened to be used for military operations as civilian purpose.

The leader in northern Somalia said the construction of the military airbase will continue as per the plan.

“The agreement we have with the military base is the same, we have not withdrawn from the government,” Muse said.

The development comes barely two days after Muse announced that the airport under construction as part of the UAE military base in Berbera will be converted for civilian use.

In 2017, the Somaliland parliament had the naval base deal between Somaliland and UAE following long discussion.

The contract to construct the airbase was won by Divers Marine Contracting LLC at the cost of $90 million.

The UAE began construction of the base in 2017 in the port city of Berbera. Under the terms of the deal, the UAE was to have a presence there for 30 years.

The government of the United Arab Emirates has not commented on the new development by Somaliland authorities.

https://www.radioshabelle.com/somaliland-leader-reverses-decision-on-uae-military-base/  

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