Somali forces foil Al-Shabaab raid on military position in Middle Shabelle, defence ministry says  

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali government forces repelled an early-morning attack by al Shabaab militants on a military position in the Middle Shabelle region on Tuesday and later secured the area, the defence ministry said.

In a statement, the ministry said al Shabaab fighters attacked Somali National Army positions at dawn in the Jabad Godabe area, triggering heavy fighting before government troops pushed back the assault.

The ministry did not give details on casualties from the clashes. Independent sources said there were significant losses, but those reports could not be immediately verified.

Somali forces are conducting a security sweep and clearance operation in and around Jabad Godabe to track down remaining militants and prevent any attempt to regroup, the statement said.

The attack comes amid intensified military operations by the Somali government against al Shabaab in recent days, particularly in areas near the coastal town of Warsheikh in Middle Shabelle.

Al Shabaab, an al Qaeda-linked group, has waged an insurgency against Somalia’s internationally backed government for more than a decade and frequently targets security forces and government installations. The group did not immediately comment on the incident.

GAROWE ONLINE