‘At least 50 dead’ in Shebab attack on AU base: Western sources

The attack on the camp in Janale, 80 kilometers (50 miles) southwest of Mogadishu in the Lower Shabelle region and manned by Ugandan troops, now ranks as one of the deadliest yet against AMISOM troops.

“The base is still under Amisom control, reports that the base has been taken over and our weapons captured are false”, an Amisom statement said without giving further details.

At least 20 of the troops were Ugandans taking part in the mission to hold a base in Janaale, Somalia, the sources said Wednesday. “This attack was aimed to retaliate against the killing of innocent civilians in Merka by the Ugandan troops”, he said. “Others might have escaped into the jungle”.

AMISOM and government officials could not be reached for comment but nearby residents confirmed the attack.

“No reinforcement can reach there”, Idow said.

After breaking through the base’s fence, the militants stormed inside and engaged troops in a firefight, he said.

African Union peacekeeping fore (AMISOM) said Tuesday its now verifying the number of casualties and extent of the damage caused during a auto bombing and assault on their military base by Al-Shabaab.

The Washington-based group Human Rights Watch last month urged an investigation into the wedding killings and called on the Ugandan government to prosecute any of its soldiers responsible for criminal offences.

Gregory says the two recent strikes show al-Shabab’s “continuing ability to do more than just asymmetric suicide attacks and auto bombs – but engage directly with a conventional military”.

Shortly following that attack, the group claimed responsibility for a vehicle bomb near the Jazeera Hotel in Mogadishu that killed approximately ten individuals.

African Union troops from countries including Kenya, Uganda and Burundi are cooperating with Somali forces in trying to eradicate al-Shabaab, which has waged an insurgency in Somalia since 2006 to impose Shariah, or Islamic law.