On Friday, Al Shabaab fighters attacked a military base in Bulamarer, Somalia. It’s housing Ugandan forces that are part of the African Union peacekeeping mission. According to a Somali captain, both sides suffered heavy casualties during the attack. The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) was assisting the Federal Government of Somalia in the war against the Islamist group.
Deo Akiiki, the deputy spokesman for the Ugandan People’s Defence Force (UPDF) stated: “There was an attack this morning at our base by elements of Al Shabaab, but we are waiting for official communication from ATMIS headquarters.” ATMIS tweeted that they were assessing the security situation but did not provide any further details.
Al Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack and released a statement saying that it carried out suicide bomb attacks, killing 137 soldiers. There is no official confirmation of the number of casualties, and Al Shabaab tends to provide figures that differ from the official authorities.
Al Shabaab attacked both an ATMIS base and an adjacent base belonging to the Somali military. A captain in the Somali military called Abdullahi reported to Reuters that it prompted a battle that lasted for hours. “All groups including Al Shabaab suffered heavy casualties,” he said.
Residents of Bulamarer woke up to the sound of explosions and heavy weapons. A local resident, Rukia Farah, said, “Now we see Al Shabaab in the town. We cannot know how many died. We are not hearing any shots from ATMIS and government now.”
Al Shabaab has been fighting since 2006 to overthrow the Somali government and establish its rule based on its strict interpretation of Islamic law. Last year, the government worked to push back the militant group. It culminated in the group’s control eroding over vast swathes of land. However, they are still capable of launching significant attacks on government, commercial, and military targets.
Reuters/NAN
