Two deadly ambushes by the terrorist group Al-Shabaab against Ethiopian peacekeepers in Somalia have resulted in significant human casualties. The clashes took place in the southwestern region of the country.
On Sunday, Somalia witnessed violent clashes between Ethiopian peacekeepers from the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and Al-Shabaab terrorists. Two ambushes, orchestrated by Al-Qaeda-affiliated extremists, bloodied the southwestern region of the country.
The first assault targeted an Ethiopian military convoy en route to the Wajid district in the Bakool region. Simultaneously, a second convoy was heading towards Huddur, the provincial capital of Bakool. Both attacks have been confirmed by official sources, although details remain scarce due to the anonymity required for media contacts.
Over 55 terrorists neutralized A security official in Huddur, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that Ethiopian troops, with the support of Somali soldiers, vigorously counterattacked Al-Shabaab terrorists, eliminating more than 55 of them. However, he did not specify the number of Ethiopian soldiers killed or injured, suggesting that serious losses had been suffered on both sides.
Local witnesses reported hearing intense exchanges of gunfire between the terrorists and Ethiopian security forces. The Al-Shabaab group claimed, through its propaganda, to have killed 167 Ethiopian soldiers and captured several others alive. However, these figures are unverifiable and correspond to the group’s tendency to exaggerate its successes.
It is worth noting that Ethiopian soldiers operate under the command of AMISOM, but Addis Ababa also deploys a significant contingent of troops independently of the AU in Somalia.
These clashes come just hours after the Somali government announced it had eliminated at least 30 Al-Shabaab terrorists in an operation carried out in cooperation with clan militias in the Galmudug State, in the center of the country. This region has recently witnessed terrorist attacks, including an assassination attempt against the President of Galmudug State and bombings.
