MOGADISHU (KAAB TV) – In a display of its potency, the notorious militant group Al-Shabaab conducted a series of eight hit-and-run and bombing attacks across five regions of Somalia in a single day.
The brazen violence served as a stark reminder of the persistent threat the extremist organization poses to the country’s stability and security.
The violent spree commenced on a Friday afternoon when a lone suicide bomber targeted a residential neighborhood in Mogadishu’s Hodan district. The neighborhood housed military officers and other government officials, making it a prime target for the attackers.
The suicide bomber claimed the lives of at least eight individuals, including a prominent military colonel named Abdikarin Ahmed Yusuf, widely known as Afar Shaagle. Additionally, a military general named Abdullahi Qaanso sustained injuries in the attack. Colonel Abdikarin had previously served as the deputy governor of Lower Shabelle, while General Qaanso had been leading recent offensives against Al-Shabaab in the Galgaduud region.
Simultaneously, a heavily armed group of Al-Shabaab militants launched an assault on a security checkpoint in the Tiida area of Dayniile district, located in Mogadishu. The insurgents temporarily overran the checkpoint, wreaking havoc and demolishing a building before eventually retreating. Multiple casualties, including both soldiers and civilians, were reported during the attack.
Al-Shabaab promptly claimed responsibility for both attacks.
In Balcad district, situated in the Middle Shabelle region, another group of Al-Shabaab assailants targeted an ATMIS (African Union Mission in Somalia) base during the early evening. An intense exchange of gunfire ensued between the attackers and forces stationed at the outpost, resulting in the insurgents eventually withdrawing from the area.
Moving to Lower Shabelle region, Al-Shabaab insurgents detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) targeting security forces on patrol in Afgooye town. As of now, there is no official information regarding casualties, and authorities have not made any public statements concerning the attack. Security officers initiated a thorough search operation to identify those responsible for planting the IED.
In the village of Taabto, near the Kenya-Somalia border, militants launched a fierce attack on an ATMIS base on Friday night. A protracted exchange of gunfire erupted between the assailants and security forces, ultimately leading to the withdrawal of the insurgents. Similarly, in Hoosingow, another base manned by the Kenyan forces of the ATMIS faced a similar attack during the early evening hours, according to local accounts.
Al-Shabaab also carried out a daring attack on local security forces in Afmadow town, situated in Lower Jubba region. The extent of casualties resulting from this assault is yet to be determined.
In the besieged town of Diinsoor in Baay region, residents endured a sleepless night as the militants attempted to forcefully enter the town on Friday evening. Local officials, however, reported that security forces successfully repelled the attack, resulting in no reported casualties at the time.
Amidst this wave of attacks, Al-Shabaab took control of the ATMIS military base in Geriley which is just less than 10 kilometres from the Kenyan border and recently handed over by Kenyan forces. The militant group announced its capture of the base on Thursday, raising concerns about the evolving dynamics on the ground.
Somali national army officials have not yet commented on the seizure, leaving the fate of Geriley and the ongoing conflict in the area uncertain.