MOGADISHU, Somalia — Heavy fighting erupted early on Sunday after heavily armed Al Shabab militants attacked an army base near Warsheikh in Middle Shabelle region, about 60 km north of the Somali capital Mogadishu.
The attack reportedly started with a suicide blast before militants advanced on foot toward Somali National Army (SNA) base in Jabad Godane, sparking heavy fighting.
Somalia’s government said its forces repelled an attack by the militant group al-Shabab on Saturday in the Middle Shabelle region, following fighting near the coastal district of Warsheikh.
In a statement, Somalia’s Ministry of Defense said SNA forces repelled the attack and inflicted heavy losses on al-Shabab, without providing casualty figures.
The ministry said the troops retain control of the area and continue operations aimed at tracking fleeing militants and preventing further ambushes.
“Our forces remain committed to continuing operations against al-Shabab to ensure security and protect civilians,” the ministry said.
Al-Shabab, an al-Qaida-linked group, claimed it had overrun the military base and inflicted heavy casualties on SNA soldiers. Hortabin Media could not independently verify the claims.
The group also released what it claimed were images of weapons and vehicles seized during Sunday’s attack, along with gory photos showing bodies in military uniforms.
Despite ongoing air and ground offensives, Al-Shabab continues to stage deadly attacks on military bases in southern and central Somalia.
Over the past three months, the al Qaeda-linked group seized several towns in dawn raids involving suicide explosions followed by gun battles.
The group still controls large areas of rural territory, including the Middle Jubba region, where its senior leadership has operated since being driven from Mogadishu in 2011.
With reporting by Abdirisak Mohamud Tuuryare in Mogadishu