Al-Shabaab shows militants lecturing locals after AU base attack in Somalia

EL-BARAF, Somalia - The Al-Qaeda-linked Somalia-based Al-Shabaab militants made a dramatic show in El-Baraf town in central Somalia just a few weeks after they ran over a Burundi Forward Operating Base, where they killed over 30 peacekeeping soldiers in the country.

The militants have continued to wreak havoc in the Horn of Africa nation, killing thousands of innocent civilians, security forces, and senior government officials. Largely, the group controls huge sections of rural central and southern Somalia.

Photos posted by friendly media outlets showed the militants addressing locals are E-Baraf town, not far away from where they killed Burundian soldiers serving in the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia [ATMIS] which is in charge of security responsibilities

One of the lead militants is seen addressing locals in the company of armed men, an indication that the group may have recaptured the town, further eroding gains made by the African Union Transition Mission and the Somali National Army [SNA].

After the attack on the El-Baraf Forward Operating Base, reports emerged, and the troops started relocating, something which could have created a void in the town, leading to the entry of Al-Shabaab into the area. Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble had urged the Burundi troops to stay put.

The attack on the Burundian contingent was the worst in as many years on the peacekeeping mission troops. According to statistics, the militants attacked El-Adde Forward Operating Base managed by Kenya Defense Forces in 2016, killing over 200 troops.

In 2017, the militants also attacked the Kulbiyow Forward Operating Base leaving over 70 Kenyan troops dead besides confiscating various equipment. The militants usually target army bases besides using Improvised Explosive Devices in the country.

The Department of State and Pentagon recently noted that the Al-Shabaab has continued to expand territories in Somalia, calling for more vigilance. The US has since dispatched over 500 soldiers to the Horn of Africa nation, just a year after withdrawal.

GAROWE ONLINE