Somalia clashes resulted to many dead

Al-Qaeda linked fighters and government soldiers battle resulted to at least 14 civilians death. The clash happened on Tuesday and was followed by a separate car bomb attack in Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital. It is said to be a cause of al-Shabab fighters in the base of African Union peacekeepers. Three were dead after the peacekeepers fired on the explosives-laden vehicle. Somalia’s clash triggered a four-hour battle.
The head of Mogadishu’s ambulance, Ali Muse, reported that his group had counted six bodies and took and estimated 40 wounded people to different hospitals. Alif Araf, a tailor in the area was slightly wounded during the battle and also counted eight bodies of people.
Al-Shabab spokesman, Sheikh Ali Mohamoud Rage said that the attack was in retaliation for the recent killing of senior al-Qaeda commanders Abu Omar al-Baghdadi and Abu Ayyub al-Masri in Iraq.
“We have carried out a holy suicide attack against the enemy of Allah in Mogadishu today and we destroyed the bank building where they were stationed,” Mohamoud Rage said.
“This attack was a retaliation for the killing of our mujahedin brothers Abu Omar al-Baghdadi and Abu al-Masri… in Iraq”
Al-Shabab which means “The Youth” are believed to be the largest group among several Islamist and clan militias battling the transitional government in Somalia. The said group was the former military wing of the deposed Islamic Court Union (ICU) that controlled much of central and southern Somalia in late 2006. Earlier this year, the group refused to engage in the peace process that brought elements of the Islamic courts in the government. The said group is being led by Muktar Ali Robow. Muktar Ali Robow is also known as Abu Mansoor and was the previous deputy defence secretary of the Islamic court.
Al-Shabab, together with its allies which is the Hezb al-Islam have restricted Ahmed’s government control to just a few streets in the capital. This is said to start since the launching of an onslaught last year.
The AU strong force which has an approximately 5,000 members with troops from Uganda and Burundi has a major role or targeting al-Shabab fighters who vowed to overthrow the transitional government.