Tuesday January 17, 2023
Jowhar (HOL) - Al Shabab militants attacked a military base in the Middle Shabelle region on Tuesday morning, killing several government forces, weeks after the government forces captured the area.
The early morning attack in Hawadley village, near Bal'ad district, began with three car bombs, followed by gunfire between militants and military forces stationed at the base.
Preliminary reports say that the commander of the Somali National Army's 3rd Battalion of the 27th Division, Colonel Abshir Mohamud Mohamed, known as Shaqatey, was among those killed in the attack.
Hawadaley village, about 20 kilometres from Bal'ad district, remains tense, and the al-Shabaab group has claimed control of the army base and sized weapons and military vehicles.
The group carried out such an attack in the Halgan district of the Hiiraan region on Monday morning, killing several government forces, including the CID chief of the Beledweyne Police Station, Jamal Ahmed Jama. Two men from local anti-Shabaab clan militia forces were wounded in the attack.
The Toyota Noah minivan loaded with explosives targeted a Ma'awisley clan militia security checkpoint in the center of Hiiraan's Halgan district.
According to security officials, the militia opened fire on the suicide car bomber from a safe distance, forcing the bomber to detonate his device prematurely before reaching the government security forces headquarters.
Since launching a major offensive last August, the government and allied clan militias have forced the militants from swathes of territory in central Somalia.
The successes have led some officials to claim al Shabaab is on its last legs.