BOSASO, Somalia, August 24 (Reuters) – Al Shabaab fighters stormed a military base in central Somalia on Tuesday and recaptured a city that lost government forces earlier this month, eyewitnesses.
Amara residents in the Galmudug region said the morning assault began with a suicide bombing aimed at government special forces units, known as Danab and Darawish.
The Somali army and Darawish forces responded with airstrikes and “triumphed” over Al Shabaab’s attacking forces, killing “several” fighters, according to state media that did not provide details about the victims or the state of the military base or city.
Amara is a strategic city located on the route to the coastal city of Harardheere, another stronghold of Al Shabaab. Harardheere was once a pirate base in the midst of the 2011 hijacking of merchant ships.
“Al Shabaab militants launched an attack on a government base in the city of Amara this morning. Government forces, especially the Danab and Darawish of Galmudug, withdrew from the area and Al Shabaab took control. of the area, “Farah Osman, a resident of Amara, told Reuters by telephone.
Asmail Nur, another resident, confirmed the attack and said Al Shabaab captured 11 armored vehicles and burned seven more.
The two witnesses gave no details about the victims.
Al Shabaab Radio Andalus said in a broadcast that the group was behind the attack and capture of the city, adding that it had confiscated 14 cars and 10 trucks picked up with a gun.
Officials in the Galmudug region were unable to immediately comment, nor were spokesmen for al Shabaab.
Earlier this month, Galmudug’s government and regional forces took control of Amara, which has been under control of al Shabaab for the past ten years.
Their joint operations also liberated several cities in Al Shabaab, including Baadweyn and other villages in the region.
The al-Qaeda-linked group often carries out attacks in its war against the central government of Somalia. Its goal is to overthrow the government and impose its own harsh interpretation of Islamic law.
It has targeted Somali military bases and civilian infrastructure, including hotels, bars and schools, both in Somalia and in neighboring countries.
Reporting to Abdiqani Hassan; Additional reports from Feisal Omar in Mogadishu; Written by George Obulutsa; Edited by Angus MacSwan and Mike Harrison
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