MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Two suicide car bombs struck a military position held by Ugandan peacekeepers near the Somali town of Afgoye on Monday, as the soldiers led an offensive against the Al Qaeda-linked militant group Al-Shabaab.
Drone footage circulating online appeared to show two vehicles exploding near what looked like a military encampment outside the town of Barire, approximately 45 km (27 miles) southwest of the capital, Mogadishu.
Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement, saying it killed 47 Ugandan troops and wounded more than 30 others. The group also said it destroyed nine military vehicles, including two tanks, and targeted a gathering of soldiers near the base. The insurgents claimed the tanks had been used in recent bombardments of Barire, which they said had suffered heavy damage.
The latest incident comes amid an ongoing offensive by Ugandan peacekeepers, part of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), supporting Somali forces in efforts to retake territory from Al-Shabaab.
Last Friday, at least 20 Ugandan soldiers were reportedly killed after insurgents repelled an attempt to enter Barire, according to Military Observer, an open-source intelligence platform. The militants seized the town in early March and have since consolidated their control, despite repeated offensives by government and allied forces.
A series of coordinated ambushes and suicide bombings targeting the peacekeepers last month has left dozens dead and wounded, with only limited territorial gains reported.
Al-Shabaab, which seeks to impose Islamic law, has been waging an insurgency in Somalia for over a decade and frequently targets Somali government forces and African Union troops.
ATMIS and Ugandan military officials have not yet issued an official statement regarding Monday’s attack.
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