Al-Shabab militants have overrun an African Union military base in Somalia.
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Kenya’s president, Uhuru Kenyatta described the attack as heartbreaking adding that Kenya troops were killed in the attack but gave no figure.
Islamic extremist rebels in Somalia say they have killed dozens of Kenyan troops in an attack on an African Union base in southwestern Somalia.
The group, which is aligned with al Qaeda, said it took over the base after a suicide bomber rammed its gates, and also controlled the town, capturing almost 30 trucks and armoured vehicles. The base is situated in the town of El-Ade in Somalia’s Gedo region, near the Kenyan border.
This is not the first attack on a military camp carried out by the Al Shabaab.
But Kenya’s army spokesman said it was a nearby Somali base that was stormed and Kenyan troops counter-attacked.
Al-Shabab militants have frequently staged attacks against government officials and civilians over the past years.
“Once we come to an end of this battle, we will have information on number of casualties and proper account of what happened”.
Obonyo said that although al-Shabaab claimed they killed Kenyan forces in the attack, their soldiers say the target was a Somali National Army (SNA) base. The attack is the biggest assault on an African Union base since a raid on an installation at Janaale in southern Somalia on September 1. A Somali military officer said fighting was continuing.
Two KDF soldiers also lost their lives in the attack.
The Kenyan position was overrun, the Somali source said.
“We heard a loud explosion at about 5:30am (02:30GMT), followed by heavy gunfire”, one witness said on Friday morning.
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The attack demonstrates that although AMISOM has pushed al-Shabab from several parts of Somalia, including Mogadishu, it still lacks full control of the country.
