Somalia: Al-Shabaab militants neutralized in Jubaland state

KISMAYO, Somalia - The Al-Qaeda-linked group, Al-Shabaab was on Tuesday morning neutralized in Jubaland, a top government official said, hours after the group had claimed running over a military Forward Operating Base in the state, killing "several" soldiers.

The militants raided the military Jana Cabdalle in Jubaland, in an attack that come several weeks after the local forces conquered the village, although without a significant struggle. Jubaland is mainly controlled by both government and African Union Transition Mission in Somalia [ATMIS] forces.

Mohamud Sayid Aden, the Vice President of Jubaland state, maintained that the militants had been repulsed by the military after they attacked a camp within the village which is approximately 60 kilometers west of Kismayo, the regional administrative capital of Jubaland.

“This morning the Khawarij (deviants) attacked Janaa Cabdalle base, a strategic base which was captured from them before,” he said, using a term for al-Shabab militants.

“As is the hallmark for their attacks they used a series of explosives and suicide bombing, but the Somali troops defended the base,” he added.

He said Tuesday’s al-Shabab attack “failed” as government troops fought off the militants. Aden said barriers erected by the soldiers in anticipation of the al-Shabab attack prevented explosives from penetrating the base.

According to him, five soldiers were killed in a battle that could have been after all deadly while 10 others were critically injured. “Brave men are among the dead, and as opined in a fatwa (ruling) by the religious scholars, they will be in paradise,” he said.

The VP said the group had suffered the most casualties but the militants claimed they had killed over 89 soldiers. Abdulaziz Abu Mus’ab, the spokesperson of the group, told al-Shabab media that 20 vehicles were seized from the government forces.

But the VP denied the claims while insisting that regional troops with the help of those from ATMIS, US Africa Command, and local militia were still in control of the strategic village. The Al-Shabaab purported number of casualties cannot be independently confirmed.

“The target is their biggest base in Middle Juba, a final offensive on Jilib and Buale and the other big bases they have been occupying for a long time,” he said. “Janaa Cabdalle is the closest strategic base to launch an offensive from.”

The government of Somalia has been pursuing the militants for the last seven months and the results have been positive according to President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. Over 700 militants have been killed and their bases were taken over according to officials from Somali National Army.

GAROWE ONLINE