Al Shabaab suicide bombing kills over 30 Somalian soldiers

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
24 Jul 2023 19:55

The terrorist group attack a military academy in Somalia's capital Mogadishu.

Somalian security personnel facing burning vehicles as they secure the area after a car bomb explosion in the Somalian capital Mogadishu on July 30, 2017 (AFP)

At least 30 Somalian soldiers were killed and dozens were wounded after a suicide bomber attacked a military academy in the country's capital Mogadishu on Monday, Reuters reported, citing army officers.

The terrorist al Shabaab group, an Al-Qaeda-affiliated militia that has been waging an insurgency against the federal government for more than 15 years, claimed responsibility for the attack.

While the group has been driven out of Somalia's main towns and cities, it retains power in large parts of rural areas and continues to carry out attacks against security and civilian targets, including in the capital. It has also been active in other countries of the Horn of Africa, including Kenya, Ethiopia, and Djibouti.

This suicide bombing preceded the government's upcoming launch of the second phase of a comprehensive campaign against al Shabaab groups in the southwest and southern parts of Somalia.

The bombing on Monday targeted the Jale Siyaad military academy.

"We have confirmed 30 dead and 73 others injured from the blast at the military training camp," said one army officer, who asked to be identified only as Major Abdullahi. A second military source confirmed the same death toll.

On the other hand, the terrorist group claimed that they had killed 73 troops and wounded 124 others. But al Shabaab is known for claiming a much higher number of casualties than announced by the government.

Earlier this month, the Somali National Army's Commandos unit conducted a successful operation in the Budbud area and Galcad town of the Galgudud region in Galmudug State.

The operation resulted in the killing of 18 al Shabaab terrorists and the injury of several others. Senior al Shabaab commanders were among those targeted and eliminated during the offensive.