MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Al-Qaeda-aligned Al-Shabaab militants on Saturday overran three army bases in central Somalia’s Galgadud region amid an ongoing offensive to dislodge the terror group from swathes of territory it controls in the region.
Militants launched a dawn attack on three army bases in the village of Osweine near the Al-Shabaab stronghold of Galhareeri. The troops seized control of the area just a few days ago.
Somali state media reported that the attack was repulsed early in the morning. But militants released images showing armored vehicles they captured in the assault and soldiers they had taken as prisoners of war.
Former deputy mayor of Mogadishu Ali Yare put the number of military vehicles destroyed or captured by the rebel group at 58, saying that more than 150 soldiers were “martyred.”
Al-Shabaab claimed it had killed at least 178 soldiers in attacks.
Somalia’s government has not immediately commented on the development, which comes weeks after President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud promised that the region will soon become free from the insurgent group.
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