Fighters belonging to the al-Qaeda-affiliated militant group al-Shabab have carried out an assault on a military base located on the outskirts of Masagawa, a town in central Somalia. According to a resident, at least 17 individuals have lost their lives in the attack. The fighting subsequently moved into the nearby forest. Captain Abdullahi Mohamed, a military officer in Masagawa, confirmed the incident and stated that 12 al-Shabab militants were killed, though he did not provide precise figures for the military casualties. The Somalia National Army reported on Twitter that they successfully repelled the attack on the town and eliminated al-Shabab fighters, but no specific numbers were mentioned.
This assault follows a recent attack by al-Shabab on a base housing Ugandan troops participating in an African Union peacekeeping mission in Bulamarer, located approximately 130km southwest of the capital, Mogadishu. Since 2006, al-Shabab has been striving to overthrow Somalia’s central government and establish a regime based on its strict interpretation of Islamic law. While the group faced setbacks last year due to government counter-offensives, it continues to launch significant attacks targeting hotels, military installations, and government establishments.
In a statement, al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack on the military base, asserting that they had killed 73 soldiers who had recently returned from training in Eritrea. It is worth noting that the group’s reported casualty figures often differ from those provided by official sources.
The assault on the military base in Masagawa highlights the ongoing security challenges faced by Somalia and the persistent threat posed by al-Shabab. The Somali government, along with international partners, will need to maintain its efforts to combat the insurgency and work towards establishing lasting stability in the country.
