Somalia: KDF camp in Kulbiyow comes under al-Shabaab attack

KULBIYOW, Somalia- Heavily armed fighters of the al-Shabaab group launch coordinated overnight assault against Kenyan Defense forces' military base in the town of Kulbiyow in Lower Jubba region, Garowe Online reports.

The assault started with explosions said to be mortar rounds targeted the camp, which lies 1 kilometer outside the town, and then heavy gunfire was heard as fighters stormed into the compound, reports said.

The KDF base was attacked at 4 am and the number of casualties remain unconfirmed. The militants engaged in deadly gunfight with Kenyan soldiers at the camp that raged on until morning.

In a statement posted on its affiliated websites, the militant group al-Shabaab said its fighters have briefly seized the base from the Kenyan forces in Kulbiyow town, and pulled back from it before dawn.

The telecommunication in the town were down during the clashes.

Jubbaland army officials said the militants have been defeated in the first attack in Kulbiyow that took about an hour, before launching a second counter-assault from the east side which began with 3 blasts.

There was no immediate comments from Kenyan Defense Ministry on the last night attack in Kulbiyow, located about 18 kilometers from the Kenyan border.

In January 27, 2016, al-Shabab fighters assaulted the KDF military base, which is run by Kenyan troops who are part of the AU force (AMISOM) in the town of Kulbiyow, and killed dozens of KDF soldiers.

GAROWEONLINE