Shebab Islamists detained Somali soldiers a few dozen kilometers from the capital Mogadishu. The numbers vary, but we are talking about fifteen soldiers killed. This bloody attack adds to a series of bad security news for the authorities.
Somali soldiers traveled in two pick-ups as they were brutally attacked by the Islamists. According to an officer quoted by Reuters, it could be retaliation a few hours after a shooting in which the army would have killed several shebabs.
The area, located in the Lower Shabelle region, is the site of regular clashes. Terrorists do not hesitate to launch daring operations there, while the Somali army and the African amisome force have bases nearby.
In September 2019, the Islamists even attempted an attack on the ultra-secure base of Baledogle, where the US military is training Somali special forces. The region’s capital, Afgoye, was captured in 2012, but Islamists control part of the country. This dense and relatively prosperous sector also attracted many clans, leading to rivalry. A tension that benefits the terrorist group, explains an observer.
This battle against the army comes after the departure of the leaders of the special forces. President Farmajo fired Major Ismail Abdi Maalik from his post without an official explanation. He was the fifth commander of elite Danab troops in just 7 years.
Experts are concerned about the chronic instability observed at the head of a body seen as one of the most respected and effective in Somalia. To all this is added rumors of about 700 Americans leaving Somalia. The country is therefore in a zone of turbulence as it enters an uncertain election period from which the shebabs will benefit.
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