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Somalia: Car bombs shake military base, deaths reported

Mogadishu(Reuters) – A government military base in south Somalia was struck by car bombs and gunfire on Wednesday, residents and military officers said, with the al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab group claiming responsibility and saying dozens of soldiers died.

One military officer said the bombs exploded outside the base after troops behind sandbags fired at them during the mid-morning attack in Awdheegle, an agricultural district along the Shabelle River, 70 km (43 miles) southwest of the capital Mogadishu.

“There are casualties from al Shabaab and government forces but we have no exact figure. Al Shabaab cut off some of the private telecommunications,” added Captain Hussein Ali, a military officer in another town in the same region.

Al Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it had killed 50 soldiers and two of its fighters had died.

“Two mujahideen driving two car bombs, one after the other, entered the Somali base in Awdheegle district today. We killed 50 government soldiers and burnt their vehicles,” said Abdiasis Abu Musab, al Shabaab’s military operation spokesman.

The jihadist group and government officials tend to give sharply differing casualty figures for attacks.
Source: Reuters

admin: Arraale Mohamoud Jama is a highly experienced freelance and investigative journalist, writer, and human rights activist with over two decades of work in journalism and advocacy. His focus areas include: - Human rights - Politics and security - Democracy and good governance He has contributed to Somaliland newspapers and collaborated with human rights organizations. In 2008, he founded Araweelo News Network, a platform covering regional and international news, which he continues to manage. Contact Information: -Email: Info@araweelonews.com | jaamac132@gmail.com - Phone/SMS/MMS/WhatsApp: +252 63 442 5380 Twitter fallow us @Araweelonews Falow us Facebook: [@Araweelonews )
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