ZCZC
BFF-54
SOMALIA-UNREST
AU, Somali forces kill 35 al-Shabaab militants
MOGADISHU, Sept 24, 2018 (BSS/Xinhua) – A total of 35 al-Shabab militants
were killed and several others injured after an exchange of fire between
Somali national army, backed by African Union forces, and the militants in
Qoryoley, a town in lower Shabelle region, in southern Somalia, officials
said on Monday.
One Somali soldier was killed and two others injured during heavy fighting
with the militants overnight, Qoryoley Deputy Governor Abdi Ahmed Ali told
reporters.
“Our forces killed 35 al-Shabab militants and injured several others after
defeating the enemy who attacked the town,” Ali said. “We have collected
their bodies to bury now.” “We had prior intelligence that the terrorists are
going to attack us and this caused more casualties on the enemy side,” the
governor said.
Al-Shabab has not yet commented on Ali’s statement on the latest
government victory over the militants. The group, however, claimed to have
carried out mortar attacks on bases of the Somali national army and the
African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) near Barawo, a town in the same
region.
BSS/XINHUA/FI/ 2155 hrs