Death toll hits 30 in Somalia military base bombing

Security forces patrol near the Hayat Hotel after an attack by Al-Shabaab fighters in Mogadishu on August 20, 2022. (Hassan Ali ELMI / AFP)

MOGADISHU, Soamlia - The death toll in Al-Shabaab's suicide bombing at a military training base in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia has hit 30, authorities confirmed, with nine more soldiers succumbing to their injuries in Monday's deadly attack which has been claimed by the Al-Qaida linked group.

On its part, the Al-Shabaab militants are claiming that over 70 soldiers who were undergoing training had died, adding that several others were injured in the deadly attack. The Al-Shabaab militants are, however, fond of exaggerating figures as they strive to propagate propaganda in the war which they are almost losing.

The militants have been facing hard times after the government activated operations against them, which left over 3,000 dead in the first phase. Although the operations have slowed down, the national army is set to resume crackdown in the coming weeks within Jubaland and Southwest.

The bombing on Monday targeted the Jale Siyaad military academy, popularly known as the 14th October army training center, which is located in Mogadishu. This was one of Al-Shabaab's latest successful attacks against the military in Somalia.

"We have confirmed 30 dead and 73 others injured from the blast at the military training camp," said one army officer, who asked to be identified only as Major Abdullahi. A second military source confirmed the same death toll.

The victims hailed from the Lower Shabelle region and had come to the capital for training, said Captain Ali Farah, who knew some of them. He said he was aware of 10 deaths so far, Aljazeera reports.

"The soldiers were being counted in the queue when the suicide bomber blew himself up," Farah said.

Recently, the group also raided Bulo Marer Forward Operating Base under the Uganda People's Defense Forces [UPDF], killing over 54 soldiers. The government of Somalia has requested military assistance from neighboring countries, with the troops expected to serve for three months.

Already, the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia [ATMIS] has started withdrawing troops from the country, a move which analysts insist is meant to derail the liberation of the country from the jaws of the militants. However, Somalia says it has trained many soldiers who will bridge the gap.

GAROWE ONLINE