GAROWE (Somaliguardian) – At least five Puntland regional troops were killed and seven others wounded after militants stormed Af-urur military base outside the commercial port city of Bosaso, commander of the eastern sector for the region’s security forces said on Sunday.
Saeed Nur Shire told VOA Somali that 3 soldiers were killed inside the base, with 4 wounded and the rest died in a roadside explosion on military vehicles rushing with reinforcements.
There was a military vehicle damaged by an explosion from a mortar shell that struck the base, he added.
The regional military official said insurgents had incurred heavy losses and troops had been able to repel the assault, though he did not give any figure on casualties sustained by the assailants.
Militants stormed the military camp, about 70 km southwest of the coastal town of Bosaso early on Wednesday morning, engaging security forces in a fierce gunfight that started with mortar bombardment. read more
A resident in the area, who was interviewed by VOA Somali, described hearing the cracks of gunfire and heavy weaponry exchanged by both sides and said the gun battle had begun before dawn.
The camp is located in the village of Af-urur on the Gollis mountains of Puntland region and due to its strategically important location, the area has been strongly contested by warring parties during the Somali civil war.
Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the assault, saying it had 9 soldiers, including three senior military commanders and wounded 15 others. Group’s media also reported that fighters had overrrun the base and destroyed military vehicles.
The Al-Qaeda-affiliate carried out a similar attack targeting Af-urur military camp in 2017 during which nearly 100 regional soldiers were killed, including base commander Lieutenant Colonel Ahmed Muse Sangal, Lieutenant Colonel Mohamed Salah Jama and Colonel Shire Omar, and wounded more than 40 others. Insurgents seized weapons and destroyed 14 military vehicles after troops retreated to the nearby town of Armo.
Meanwhile, militants launched another attack on Maslah base in Hiliwa district of Mogadishu, which is home to African Union peacekeepers, on Sunday. Casualties have not been immediately known, but insurgents said they had killed several peacekeepers. Somaliguardian has been unable to verify the claims.
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