Hiiraan Online
Thursday June 8, 2017
FILE PHOTO
Bosaso (HOL) - At least 10 suspected members of Al-Shabaab participated in a daring raid on a military base in Northeastern Puntland near the area of Galgala mountains - a stronghold of the group.
A senior Puntland security official has confirmed that reinforcements have been sent to assist the Puntland Security Forces.
This is the first major spate of violence between the two groups since the start of the Holy Month of Ramadan.
First sources have told HOL that there are at least 50 people killed in action on both sides, although this count cannot be independently verified.
Al-Shabaab has said that they have killed 61 government troops and seized 16 vehicles in the raid.
A Puntland government minister has dismissed the death toll but has not released any figures of their own.
The Al-Qaeda-linked militant insurgency group has carried successful raids on Somali bases in the past, including an attack on a military base in Kenya in January that left at least 50 soldiers dead and caused significant damage to property.