Islamic extremists attack bas in Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia – Kenyan troops were killed when al-Shabab Islamic fighters attacked an African Union base in Somalia, Kenya’s president said Friday.

Somali army colonel Idris Ahmed said an Al Shabab suicide commando blasted into the El Adde base in the Gedo region, which borders Kenya and Ethiopia, in a predawn attack.

The group, which is aligned with al Qaeda, said it took over the base after a suicide bomber rammed its gates, and also controlled the town, capturing almost 30 trucks and armoured vehicles.

Al-Shabab was ousted from the capital, Mogadishu, in August 2011, but still has a presence in large areas of southern Somalia and often stages attacks across the country.

Col David Obonyo, Kenyan military spokesman, debunked shabab reports that the AU base had been attacked.

“Today, Jan. 15, 2016, at 4 a.m. [Friday] Al-Shabaab militia attacked the Somali National Army [SNA] camp, which is in close proximity to the Kenya Defense Forces [KDF] camp in Elade Somalia”, Obonyo said. “KDF will provide more information once it becomes available”.

“AMISOM can confirm that there was an attack on our troops in El-Adde”, the force said in a brief statement hours after the attack began, but gave no further details.

Kenya’s defence ministry confirmed there had been “casualties” but was unable to confirm numbers, describing the assault as an “unfortunate incident”.

Later in the day, the UN Security Council also condemned the attack and underscored its full support to AMISOM in delivering their mandate to reduce the threat posed by the terrorist group Al Shabaab and armed opposition groups in Somalia. “There were many casualties between the two parties”, he added. “There is heavy gunfire going on inside the base”, Major Hussein Abdulle, a military officer stationed about 100 km from the Ceel Cado base, told Reuters.

El-Adde resident, Ahmed Naaleeye, said: “There was a heavy blast before the direct attack”.

He said the fighting remains ongoing. However, Somali military has denied the claim.

Earlier, Al Jazeera reported that at least 50 Kenyan soldiers were killed early Friday in the attack launched by Al Shabaab.