Somalia army foils terror attack at training camp

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The Somali National Army [SNA] has thwarted the Al-Shabaab attack in the capital Mogadishu, state media reports, in the middle of the ongoing crackdown against the militants, who are still dominant in central and southern parts of the Horn of Africa nation.

Somalia has been conducting operations against the group in central and southern regions since President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud took over power in 2022, with the head of state pledging a sustained campaign against the group, which has been paralyzing operations in the country.

According to the state media, the soldiers “neutralized” a lone suicide bomber who tried to enter the base. Al-Shabaab claims responsibility for the attack, in an attack that comes amid forms of stability in the capital, which was once an epicenter of Al-Shabaab crackdown.

"The National Armed Forces thwarted a suicide bombing attempt at an army base in Mogadishu this morning. The attacker was killed by the security forces before he could detonate his explosives. No other casualties were reported in the incident," state media reports.

The group also claimed the explosion killed seven soldiers and injured 26, casualty figures that have not been independently verified. In most cases, Al-Shabaab survives on propaganda to run the war but has mostly lost to the military across all battlefronts.

Reports indicate that the bombing was reported outside the 77 military barracks on Mogadishu’s Industrial Road, early Monday. The militants usually target army bases, innocent civilians, and senior government officials in the war, which has lasted for the last 16 years.

Al-Shabaab militants have, however, lost strategic towns to the military, which has the strong backing of the US Africa Command, the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia [ATMIS], and the local militia. Over 3,500 Al-Shabaab militants have been killed in the last 12 months, officials say.

GAROWE ONLINE