According to the government and a military official, al-Shabab fighters have fought Somali troops and allies to take control of a strategic army base in southern Somalia.
As it tries to extend recent advances made in the area, the al Qaeda-linked group would be able to cut a crucial road between the capital, Mogadishu, 200 kilometers (124 miles) southwest, and the central Galmudug State by capturing the base in Wargaadhi town, which houses soldiers, special forces, and clan fighters.
Al-Shabab frequently targets government officials and military personnel in opposition to the Somali government for more than 16 years. The government denied the claim, saying in a statement that its fighters had taken control of the base and Wargaadhi town.
More than 40 people were killed by government forces trying to attack the base on Thursday morning, according to a statement from the Ministry of Information.
However, an officer in the army Hussein Ali claimed that after “fighting, the armed group” had taken the town of Wargaadhi.
“Our forces lost 12 men, primarily [clan fighters]. According to Ali, “around 20 al-Shabab fighters have also been killed.” However, al-Shabab received more reinforcements and was able to seize the town.
He added that because it would require using routes through al-Shabab-held areas, Somalia’s military was having a hard time sending reinforcements.
By midmorning, two soldiers who were quoted by Reuters claimed that air-based government forces had been able to recapture a portion of the town.
Both sides’ claims could not be independently verified.
continuing to be offensive
Adan Yabal, a town and logistical hub for government forces, was claimed by al-Shabab last week to be located about 220 kilometers (130 miles) north of Mogadishu.
Captain Hussein Olow, a military officer in Adan Yabaal, refuted the report, telling Reuters that government forces had pushed the group back.
Both attacks are part of an al-Shabab offensive that was launched last month. Residents of Mogadishu expressed concern that the group’s brief capture of villages 30 kilometers away from the capital might be used as a target.
As Somalia’s future of international security support appears to be getting more uncertain, al-Shabab has continued to advance in the countryside despite the fact that Somali forces have since recaptured those villages.
The AU Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia, a larger force, was replaced in February by a new African Union peacekeeping mission, but funding remains a mystery because the United States is still opposed to changing to a UN financing model.
Source: Aljazeera
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