MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s al-Shabaab group has carried out a pre-dawn attack on an African Union mission troop camp in Middle Shabelle region.
The group says its fighters had stormed into military base and killed 59 African Union soldiers after explosions followed by fierce fighting in El-Baraf area some 180km north of Mogadishu.
“The Mujahideen launched a pre-dawn raid on an African Union military base in el-Baraf, middle Shabelle region. We have killed 59 Burundian soldiers under ATMIS”, al-Shabaab said in a statement.
The group says Tuesday’s attack had started with suicide explosions followed by an infantry attack.
Mareeg Online could not independently verify the claims.
African Union mission could not be reached immediately on the phone for comments on Tuesday’s attack on their base north of Mogadishu.
Al Shabab — an al Qaeda — linked group has been battling for more than a decade to topple the Mogadishu-government and establish its own rule based on its strict interpretation of Islam’s sharia law.
