At least 10 Somali soldiers were killed and an unknown number wounded when Al-Shabaab Islamist fighters ambushed them near a southern village, a military official and family member said Thursday.

The attack took place late Wednesday in a village near Afgoye town, some 30 kilometres (18 miles) from the capital Mogadishu.

"The soldiers were travelling with two military vehicles when ambushed near Afgoye. More than 10 soldiers including the commander in charge were killed," said Colonel Mohamed Hassan, a military officer in Afgoye.

"We don't know about the wounded," but the army sent reinforcements to the site of the ambush, he added.

The Al Qaeda-linked Al Shabaab claimed the attack in statement carried by the SITE Intelligence Group.

"Twenty-four governmental militia elements were killed, including three officers, and 32 others were wounded, military vehicles were destroyed, and military gear was captured as spoils," the group said.

A relative of one of those killed confirmed the incident.

"There was a senior commander who was a relative of mine killed in the attack and more than ten of his soldiers, it was a disaster which shocked our family," the relative Mohamed Ali told AFP.

Somalia plunged into chaos after the 1991 overthrow of then-President Siad Barre's military regime, leading to years of clan warfare followed by the rise of Al-Shabaab which once controlled large parts of the country and Mogadishu.

Al-Shabaab was driven out of the capital in 2011, but its militants continue to wage war against the government, carrying out regular attacks.

Related Links
Africa News - Resources, Health, Food

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The Space Media Network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceMediaNetwork Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceMediaNetwork Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

12 Mali soldiers killed in raids on base
Bamako (AFP) Oct 13, 2020
Twelve Malian soldiers were killed in attacks on their base in the volatile centre of the country, the army said Tuesday, in the latest violence to hit the West African state. In a statement, Mali's military said an army outpost in the central Mopti region was attacked overnight, leaving nine soldiers dead and an unidentified number of wounded. Militants also attacked reinforcements sent to the base on Tuesday morning, killing three soldiers and wounding 10, according to a provisional tally. ... read more