Somalia: Militants briefly overrun town near Mogadishu

Image

AFGOOYE, Somalia, June 20, 2015 (Garowe Online)-Somalia’s Al Qaeda linked Al Shabaab militants overran a key town near Mogadishu in deadly raid overnight on Friday according to residents, Garowe Online reports.

Militants firstly attacked army base in the outskirts of Afgooye, some 30km west of Mogadishu thrusting into the town and briefly seizing a police compound, security sources were quoted as saying.

The commander of Afgooye police station, Abdullahi Mohamed Haji Ali on Saturday told the reporters that they recaptured two of four armoured vehicles seized by Al Shabaab fighters in the attack.

At least eight government soldiers were killed, with two being admitted to local medical facility for treatment.

On Thursday, Al Shabaab marked the first day of fasting month of Ramadan with botched suicide attack in central town, Adado.

As Somalis like millions of Muslims around the world began observing Ramadan a day ago, analysts predict rise in Al Shabaab rampages.

Meanwhile in Mogadishu, Somali federal government deployed hundreds of police officers in a bid to tighten security on possible Al Shabaab attacks. 

GAROWE ONLINE 

Related Articles

Kenya to sign Khat deal with Somalia

Fundamentally, Kenya Airways opened the Mogadishu route recently, over two years after direct flights were canceled due to security plans.

  • Somalia

    23-04-2024

  • 08:14AM

Hormuud Salaam Foundation Sends Somali Children with Congenital Heart Defects to Italy for Life-Saving Treatment

Last year, HSF collaborated with Ms. Edna Moalim Abdirahman while conducting medical screening which targeted children in the Somalia capital, Mogadishu.   

  • Somalia

    22-04-2024

  • 08:01AM