Friday January 22, 2016
By Krystal Norris
The statement also said that the Kenyans had then helped the Somalis to launch a counter-attack against the rebels and fighting is ongoing.
An unknown number of soldiers have been killed following an early morning Al Shabaab attack at the Somali National Army (SNA) camp, which is in close proximity to the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) camp at Elade in Somalia.
According to reports by BBC, Al-Shabab militants have overrun an African Union military base outside the southern Somali town of el-Ade.
The Islamist group says it has taken "complete control" of the camp and killed more than 60 Kenyan soldiers.
While the militant group has lost territory since being driven out of the capital, Mogadishu, in 2011 by government and African Union forces, it continues to stage deadly gun and bomb attacks.
Although al-Shabab is notorious for exaggerating its successes, Amisom confirmed "an attack on our troops in El-Adde", as did Kenyan Defense Forces spokesman David Obonyo.
Residents said they could hear sporadic gunfire between the militant group and the Somali army in the town of Ceel Cado near the Kenyan border.
The group linked to Al-Qaeda terrorists struck this morning in the southwest of the country.
"Once we come to an end of this battle, we will have information on number of casualties and proper account of what happened".
The Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) for Somalia, Ambassador Francisco Madeira strongly condemns the dawn attack on its base at El Adde in Gedo province by Al Shabaab militants.
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But the 22,000-strong AMISOM force has also made significant gains against the Shebab, pushing them out of several strongholds in the southwest.
"This attack sends a clear message to the Kenyan government that their military's invasion of our Muslim lands and the massacre of innocent Muslims perpetrated by the Kenyan crusaders will not be without severe consequences", al Shabaab said.