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2022-05-04 Africa Horn
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Al-Shabaab claims '59 soldiers' killed in attack on AU troops in Somalia
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[Garowe] Somalia-based al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab
 ...... the Islamic version of the old Somali warlord...
Lions of Islam on Tuesday morning attacked a Forward Operating Base [FOB] manned by the AU Transition Mission in Somalia [ATMIS], reports indicate, in the latest raid which comes days to the presidential election in the country.
The Horn of Africa nation is expected to hold a presidential election in the coming weeks after the successful conclusion of House leadership polls which saw the opposition take control. Aden Sheikh Madobe and Abdi Hashi won speaker seats in the Lower House and Senate respectively.
And according to officials in Middle Shabelle, a region prone to al-Shabaab attacks, the Lions of Islam targeted the peacekeepers in one of the frequent attacks that comes months before the African Union
...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful...
officially hand over security responsibilities to the Somali National Army [SNA].
Eyewitnesses say the attack started with large explosions from a suspected suicide boom-mobile outside the El Baraf Forward Operating Base, which is situated about 160Kms north of Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.
One of the eyewitnesses told news hounds that he was forced to wake up following a massive explosion in the region. The Burundi Defence Forces contingent serving in ATMIS mans the base which came under attack.
Al-Shabaab group, which has since taken responsibility, claimed that it managed to kill 59 ATMIS soldiers working within the vicinity besides injuring tens of others. The holy warriors, however, did not give proof through their proxy media outlets.
"The Mujahideen launched a pre-dawn raid on an ATMIS [African Union Mission]military base in El-Baraf, middle Shabelle region," al-Shabaab said. After a fierce firefight, the Mujahideen managed to overrun the base and are now in complete control of the entire military base."
The latest reports suggest that al-Shabaab seized the base and torched military vehicles belonging to the African Union troops.
So far, the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia is yet to confirm the attack. Should the team confirm the raid, then it will be the worst since the Kulbiyow raid which targeted Kenya Defense Forces [KDF] and left over 70 soldiers dead in 2017.
A year before that, the al-Shabaab also attacked the KDF base at El-Adde in the Gedo region which also leftover 200 soldiers dead. The government of Kenya, KDF, and ATMIS are yet to issue a public report with regard to what may have transpired on both occasions.
AU forces dispatched helicopter gunships after the pre-dawn car bomb and gun attack on a camp housing Burundian peacekeepers near Ceel Baraf, a village about 160 kilometers (100 miles) northeast of the capital Mogadishu, the sources said.
"There was heavy fighting and casualties inflicted on both sides, but we don't have more details about this incident so far," local military commander Mohamed Ali told AFP by phone.
"They launched the attack with a car bomb blast before a heavy exchange of gunfire broke out," he added.
"Al-Shabaab gunmen stormed the camp early morning, there were heavy blasts and exchanges of machinegun fire. The Burundians vacated the camp and entered Ceel Baraf village before helicopters arrived providing aerial support," said one witness, local resident Weliyow Maalim.
"The helicopters fired missiles and heavy machine guns, we saw smoke rising over the camp but we don't know about the situation exactly," said another witness, Ahmed Adan.
ATMIS replaced the previous AMISOM peacekeeping force when its mandate expired at the end of March.
The new mission has the task of helping Somali forces take primary responsibility for security in the troubled Horn of Africa nation.
Under a UN resolution, ATMIS is projected to gradually reduce staffing levels from nearly 20,000 soldiers, police and civilians to zero by the end of 2024. 
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Posted by trailing wife 2022-05-04 01:35||
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File under: al-Shabaab (AQ)
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