Harun Maruf
Wednesday February 22, 2023
Somali security forces secure the scene of a militant attack at a building in Abdias district of Mogadishu, Somalia, Feb. 21, 2023.
WASHINGTON — Somali security forces have ended a more than 7-hour-long siege of al-Shabab militants at a residential building in the east of Mogadishu, the Somali government said.
The Ministry of Information said 10 people were killed by the militants and seven were injured, including four security personnel who were involved in the operation to end the siege.
The government said the victims were innocent civilians and "martyrs."
In a statement the ministry said four militants behind the attack were killed.
The militants raided a care home for members of the pro-government forces who have been injured in military operations in central Somalia.
"An explosion that didn't really sound like the typical explosion occurred, and I had a bad feeling, although my friends disagreed that it was an explosion," said a resident in the area who requested anonymity for security reasons.
"A minute later sporadic gunfire started, and it was clear what was taking place. I thought it was the Djibouti Embassy because it's the only high-profile building in the area but later realized that injured Ma'awisley from Hiran were the target of the attack."
Since August of last year, Somali government forces supported by locally mobilized fighters known as Ma'awisley have been conducting military operations against al-Shabab, which drove the militant group from vast territories in the central regions.
Al-Shabab has been carrying out retaliatory attacks against local community elders and commanders who have supported the federal government.
The government has confirmed that a militant bomber detonated a suicide vest in front of the building in Abdiaziz district about 3 p.m. local time.
Following the explosion, four al-Shabab militants stormed the building.
Gunfire and explosions continued intermittently for hours as the government forces fought to take over the building.
The al-Shabab militant group claimed responsibility for the attack. In a statement the group said its fighters targeted the building housing "apostate" militias who participated in the fighting in Hiran, the region where mobilizations started in August last year.
Al-Shabab claimed to have killed 70 people in the attack, a figure that has not been independently verified.
Meanwhile, the Somali government on Tuesday reported killing more than 42 al-Shabab fighters in the latest operation in the Cadalay village near Mahaday town of the Middle Shabelle region.
In a statement, the Ministry of Information said government forces, local fighters and international partners were involved in the planned operation, which lasted more than 30 hours.
Casualty figures given by the government have not been independently verified.