MOGADISHU, Somalia – At least three UN staff members were killed on Sunday when mortar rounds rained down on a heavily fortified Green Zone in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu.
Reliable sources said two mortar shells landed inside Halane base camp, which hosts the UN’s local office, the African Union peacekeeping mission, and other western embassies, including those of the United States and United Kingdom.
In a statement, Al Shabab, an al Qaeda-linked group, claimed responsibility for the shelling and stated that it killed five people—three UN staff members and two Ugandan soldiers—and wounded two other Ugandan nationals.
The group said one of the rockets landed at an eatery frequented by American nationals, causing an unknown number of casualties. It added that another mortar round destroyed several vehicles, including an armored personnel carrier and a cargo truck.
Mohammed El-Amine Souef, the African Union Representative for Somalia and head of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), has condemned the mortar attack on their base camp in Mogadishu.
“This attack will not deter us or the Somali Security Forces from pursuing peace and security in Somalia,” Souef said. He extended condolences to the families and friends of those who lost their lives in the attack and wished a quick recovery to the wounded.
Ambassador Souef added that a team from ATMIS had visited several locations within the base camp to assess the damage caused by the mortar rounds.
He also reaffirmed the mission’s unwavering commitment to combating terrorism and building a peaceful and prosperous Somalia.
In September of this year, similar mortar rounds rained down on the camp, while another rocket missed the base and landed in a residential area, leaving two people dead and a nearby house partially destroyed.
Despite losing control of many towns, the al-Qaeda-linked terror group has rumped up its attacks since President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud declared an “all-out war” to remove the militant group from Somalia.
Driven out of the capital, Mogadishu, in 2011 by Somali army and African Union troops, the extremist group still carries out deadly attacks. They have been battling for more than a decade to topple the Somali government and establish a strict interpretation of Islamic sharia law.
Al Shabaab continues to hold large swaths of territory in the south and central regions, from which it is believed to launch deadly attacks against the military bases of Somali army forces, African Union peacekeepers, and the capital, Mogadishu.
