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Al-Shabaab mortar attack kills civilians in Somalia's Mudug region
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    Sunday February 11, 2024

     

    Mogadishu (HOL) - A mortar attack orchestrated by Al-Shabaab militants late Friday night in the Amara area of the Mudug region has claimed the lives of multiple civilians, leaving a community in mourning and underscoring the persistent threat posed by the insurgent group. 

    Military officials reported that the attack involved around ten mortars, led to the deaths of both parents, and injured their son when their home was hit. Another civilian, a woman, was also killed in her home by the mortar fire. Military sources have confirmed Al-Shabaab's responsibility for the attack.

    The village of Amara, recently liberated from Al-Shabaab's control, was among the last in Mudug to be freed from the militants' grip. 

    This attack comes in the wake of a series of confrontations between Somali forces and Al-Shabaab militants in the Mudug region. Notably, a major raid by Al-Shabaab in the Aad area on January 24 marked a significant escalation in the conflict, with both sides suffering heavy casualties. The Somali National News Agency reported that government forces, aided by local militias, managed to repel the attack, although Al-Shabaab claimed victory and alleged substantial government losses.

    On February 3, Somali military forces successfully thwarted an Al-Shabaab attack in the Shabelow village, killing at least 21 militants and highlighting ongoing operations against the group in the southern Mudug region. 

    In response to Al-Shabaab's ongoing attacks and their claims about government casualties, Galmudug's Security Minister, Mohamed Abdi Adan Gabobe, emphasized the exaggerated nature of Al-Shabaab's assertions and the Somali government's resolve to confront and defeat the militant threat. 

    With the support of international partners, Somalia has intensified airstrikes targeting Al-Shabaab centers, preparing for a comprehensive ground offensive aimed at neutralizing the group's influence in Somalia.

    Friday's mortar attacks come just a day after a lone Al-Shabaab gunman killed UAE and Bahraini military trainers in the General Gordon military camp in Mogadishu. The high-profile attack led to the deaths of at least five people, including an Emirati Air Force Colonel, and injured several others.  
     

     





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