Somalia: Al-Shabaab attack at military base did not achieve target - army chief

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Somalia's Chief of Defense Forces General Odowaa Yusuf Rage says Saturday night's attack at a military training center in Mogadishu did not "achieve" the intended target, even with the fact that over 15 people are said to have died on spot according to multiple sources.

While addressing the media, General Odowaa said the suicide bomber targeted the Dhaga-badan training center while disguising himself as a recruit in the same facility. Al-Shabaab has attacked the base in September with a similar suicide bombing that killed over 10 people.

According to the Chief of Defense Forces, the attacker failed to "achieve his goal" noting that investigations into the deaths have immediately kicked off. The general noted that the attacker ass thwarted before making an inroad into the center, adding that he only managed the exterior.

So far, 15 people have been killed by state media maintains only five were killed and scored injured. The attack comes exactly a week after the militants attacked downtown Mogadishu, killing over 120 people while injuring hundreds of others according to official reports.

A security source told Garowe Online that the camp which was attacked was recruiting youths to be trained in Egypt, who have been lining up outside while the government is at war with Al-Shabaab. Egypt is the latest country to start training Somalia's National Army with the aim of eliminating Al-Shabaab.

The first batch of about 1200 recruits traveled to Egypt last month, per the sources with the training being authorized by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. There were concerns that Egypt is using Somalia as a strategic partner in the Horn of Africa given her feud with Ethiopia over the Grand Renaissance dam.

While Ethiopia insists on filling the dam along the Blue Nile, Egypt believes such uncoordinated activities will lead to desertification in the north. The two countries alongside Sudan have been squabbling over the dam for the last couple of years, with the US calling for immediate dialogue.

GAROWE ONLINE