Ethiopia repulses Al-Shabaab attack on Somalia base

Ethiopia repulses Al-Shabaab attack on Somalia base

AMISOM confirms dawn attack, unofficially rebuffs terrorist claims of soldiers' casualties

By Magdalene Mukami

NAIROBI, Kenya (AA) - Somali-based Al-Shabaab militants Thursday attacked Ethiopian troops working under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), mission officials confirmed on Thursday.

In a statement posted on social media by AMISOM, they confirmed the dawn attack, saying that they were able to turn back the attackers.

No casualties were mentioned, but an AMISON source unofficially rebuffed terrorist claims of more than 40 soldiers killed.

"We can confirm there was an attempted Al-Shabaab attack on the AMISOM/SNA [Somali National Army] base in Halgan, Somalia. The enemy was successfully repulsed," AMISOM said.

“AMISOM troops and SNA jointly drove back the attackers, who are now on the run with the joint forces in pursuit [in] Halgan, Somalia. An assortment of weapons has been captured as the joint forces overpowered the attackers. More details to follow.”

Also confirming the attack was a senior AMISOM official who spoke to Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking with the media. The source confirmed the attack, denying Al-Shabaab’s claims to have killed more than 40 soldiers.

Residents of Somalia’s Halgan district, in the central Hiran region, posted on social media that they heard a loud explosion followed by heavy gunfire coming from the direction of the Ethiopian military base.

One comment posted on Twitter reads, “Massive car bomb targets Ethiopia military base in Halgan town, then Al-Shabaab fighters stormed the base.”

Al-Shabaab-run radio Andalus claimed Thursday that the al-Qaeda-affiliated militants had killed 43 Ethiopian soldiers.

It said most of them had died in an explosion. The publication printed photos of alleged dead Ethiopian soldiers lying on the ground, boots lined up with their weapons in front of the bodies.

Calls seeking comment from an Al-Shabaab spokesman were not returned.

*Anadolu Agency correspondent Hassan Isilow contributed to this report from South Africa.


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