(Mogadishu) More than 30 al-Shabab fighters were killed when African
Union and Somali forces attacked two of the armed group's bases in southern
Jubaland, Mohamed Ahmed Hersi, a deputy commander with the Jubaland
administration, said al-Shabab weapons were also destroyed in the
"surprise" attacks that began Saturday and continued Sunday near
Badhadhe.
"We killed at least 33 al-Shabab militants and destroyed vehicles mounted with anti-aircraft guns," Hersi told VOA's Somali Service. "I have seen the dead bodies of the 33 militants with my eyes."
A separate statement by Kenya's Defence Force said 31
al-Shabab militants were killed during the attacks, and IEDs, 11 AK-47 rifles
and 634 rounds of ammunition were seized.
"The intelligence-led operation was executed by air and ground assets. Ground troops were supported by attack helicopters and artillery fire to access the terrorists' base and the two commands and logistics bases 17 kilometers from Siraria near Hola Wajeer,"However, al-Shabab later denied the Kenyan military's report. Sheikh Abdiaziz Abu Musab, the terrorist spokesman for al-Shabab said that no attack was carried out on al-Shabab bases, calling the Kenyan military's claims a "fabrication".
