Thursday March 30, 2023
MOGADISHU (Xinhua) -- Somali National Army (SNA) forces repulsed two separate terrorist attacks on military bases in central and southern regions of Somalia Wednesday.
The two attacks took place near Kismayo, the seat of Jubaland State, and on the outskirts of Beledweyne in Hirshabelle, central region, the Somali News Agency reported.
The report said the SNA forces backed by local forces and pro-government militia Ma'awisley repulsed the militants who had crossed the Shabelle River from the Bardhere area, south of Beledweyne town, early in the morning to raid the military base.
According to the report, the troops backed by Jubaland State forces also thwarted a separate attack by al-Shabab fighters who fired mortar rounds in the Sanguni area in southern Somalia.
There was no official statement from the government on the latest raids by the militants who have engaged the security forces in near-daily attacks across the country.
The al-Shabab, however, said its fighters killed 32 soldiers in the two separate attacks.
The government forces have intensified their attacks against al-Shabab since President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud declared an all-out war against the militants last year.
The president has vowed that the military operations to flush out al-Shabab militants from their strongholds will be intensified to stop extortion of the Somali people and the spread of propaganda, intimidation and extremism in Somalia.