On Monday, dozens of fighters were killed in the clashes that occurred in the southern tip of Somalia when al Shabaab militants made attempts to overrun three army bases, according to reports from government officials and the insurgent group.
A local security official had revealed that government forces repulsed the attacks, safely detonating four car bombs planted about 80 km (50 miles) southwest of the port city of Kismayo in Jubbaland state.
Several videos posted by Jubbaland officials on social media revealed at least 35 bodies wearing a mix of military fatigues close to the village of Buulo-Xaaji.
Al Shabaab has meanwhile, said on an affiliated radio station that it had raided the bases and killed dozens of soldiers.
The area close to the Kenyan border, in the traditional heartland of al Shabaab’s territory, was captured by government forces three months ago. The Qaeda-linked al Shabaab has been struggling to impose a strict form of Islamic law throughout the country since 2007.
What They’re Saying
The government had through the the state-owned Somalia National News Agency (SONNA), released a statement saying;
“We thank the federal and Jubbaland forces who killed over 80 al Shabaab fighters and took their weapons
Meanwhile, Farah Hussein, a military official, had confirmed that five soldiers were killed in the attack.
“We got the information that al Shabaab was coming, we deserted the three bases and then encircled their fighters, killing dozens of them. I counted 30 dead al Shabaab and I could see even more bodies lying ahead of me,” Hussein said.
Why It Matters
Al Shabaab’s ultimate goal of imposing strict Islamic law in Somalia has been met with a lot of resistance from the country’s government forces and this ongoing conflict reflects the ongoing struggle in the country. Hence, the Somali government’s ability to repel the militants demonstrates its commitment to maintaining stability and security in the nation.
