Somalia: Al Shabaab targets African Union base in Qoryoley town

QORYOLEY, Somalia- Armed fighters from the Al Qaeda linked Al Shabaab group launched a coordinated mortar assault on AMISOM  base in the town of Qoryoley, about 120 km south west of Somali capital of Mogadishu, Garowe Online reports.

A local resident told GO over the phone that Al Shabaab fighters have fired several mortar rounds on military bases for AMISOM troops located east of Qoryoley district in Lower Shabelle region.

African Union forces subsequently responded to Al Shabaab attack with heavy mortar shelling on the town, killing at least three unarmed civilians, and wounding over a dozen, according to an eyewitness.

Al Shabaab claimed it had killed 10 Somali military soldiers in a gunfight during the attacks against the military outpost manned by Ugandan soldiers serving under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).

Despite being pushed out of major cities and towns in south and central Somalia, Al Shabaab continues to launch deadly guerrilla attacks on African Union peacekeeping troops and Somali troops in a bid to topple UN backed Somali government.

GAROWEONLINE