Hiiraan Online
Wednesday March 9, 2016
MOGADISHU (HOL) – Somali government says a large weapons cache seized from a fishing boat headed for Somalia by an Australian warship was meant for Al Shabab group which is fighting the government and African Union forces.
The HMAS Darwin, a guided missile frigate, was carrying out counterterrorism operations in the Middle East when it intercepted a fishing boat 300 kilometers (190 miles) from Oman to conduct a flag verification boarding, the Defense Department said in a statement, according to The Associated Press (AP) news agency.
Abdirizak Omar, Somalia’s security minister said Tuesday that the operation by the Australian navy marked a new turning point and opened a new chapter for a working relationship between the two countries.
“We have established with a 100% certainty that the arms’ cache was meant for Al Shabab.” He said without giving further details, as result of an ongoing investigation which is expected to establish further information.
In addition, Mr. Omar who commented on the US drone strike on a rebel training camp in Somalia said that the attack might have killed nearly 200 militants.
“The air strike targeted a training camp during a ceremony in which new fighters were to be graduated.” He said in an interview with the Voice of America’s Somali Service.
Jeff Davis, the Pentagon spokesman, said the attack involved both missiles and bombs which destroyed the training camp. He said the U.S. estimated that as many as 200 fighters had been there, including a number of trainers. He said there were no known civilian casualties.
However, the Al Shabab group which had acknowledged the airstrike said that the US government ‘exaggerated’ the deaths from the attack.