The Al-Qaeda Islamist Al-Shabaab militants continue to showcase the group’s ability to strike heavily fortified facilities in Somalia.
In one of the group’s latest attack, Al-Shabaab militants on September 23rd, attacked a base operated the National Intelligence Security Agency (NISA), an ambush raid that still showcases the group’s abilities to conducted sophisticated operations against Somali heavily guarded bases and establishments.
Corresponding reports indicate that the Al-Shabaab militants mounted an attack on a base jointly operated by NISA and SNA in the outskirts of Beledweyne, a strategic town located in Hiran region, central Somalia in a well-coordinated operation that lasted four some more than an hour.
Somali military forces especially those drawn from SNA responded by opening fire against the militants who already had breached the base perimeter, firing indiscriminately. The attack left three soldiers badly wounded due to the heavy impact of mortar shells, which were fired at the base, reports indicated.
Though the attack was finally repelled, such attacks on military bases are increasing in Somalia, clear indication of militant group’s sharpened military abilities to strike heavily fortified/green zones in ambush and car bomb style of attacks. The motive of attacking NISA facility has not been established. NISA has, however, been facing allegations of aiding the militants in waging attacks against the AU forces working in Somalia, claims that Mogadishu has refuted and termed as false
