Saturday, March 5, 2011

AU forces thwart an al Shabaab suicide attack against its new Mogadishu base

“It is an act born out of frustration and desperate desire to recapture Gashandiga but we will not allow them to have it back and use it to mete out their reign of terror to the population.”

Just minutes before fighting began in a section of Mogadishu’s Warshadaha Street, African Union peacekeepers foiled a suicide vehicle attack against the AMISOM base at the former Ministry of Defense building.A statement from AMISOM said the sentries manning the base identified and destroyed an insurgent vehicle that was fast approaching the base from the Industrial Road (Warshadaha Streets) in the northwest of the city.“Our forces destroyed the jeep flying a black flag towards the gate before it reached its target, killing all suicide bombers inside. A simultaneous attack with small and medium weapons on the base was also repulsed with serious causalities on the extremists, one of our soldiers sustained minor injuries and is currently receiving medical attention,” Brigadier Gen. Maurice Gatereste, the Burundi Contingent Commander said.
“It is an act born out of frustration and desperate desire to recapture Gashandiga but we will not allow them to have it back and use it to mete out their reign of terror to the population,” he added.Afterwards, bitter clashes erupted near the military base after more militant fighters stormed the former Ministry of Defense building in northwestern Mogadishu.The heavy volleys of artillery barrages and the crackling of machine gunfire could be heard through the restive portions of the city.Al Shabaab leaders reportedly said their attempts to retake control of key Mogadishu military positions have ended in vain.At least 5 people have been killed and dozens more injured in Mogadishu clashes, according to Mogadishu’s ambulance service.Somali’s army allied with African Union forces has seized key al Shabaab military bases in Mogadishu late last month..all headline


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