Al-Shabaab attacks military training camp in Somalia’s Bardere town

Al-Shabaab militants on Wednesday attacked a military training camp in Somalia’s southern town of Bardere.

The attack started when two explosives-laden vehicles rammed into the camp knowns as ADC where the Jubaland administration is training a new batch of troops in preparation for the second phase of the offensive against the Al-Qaeda linked group.

The camp is also located a few meters away from an Ethiopian military base.

While the first phase of the anti-terror offensive focused on liberating territories in the regional states of Galmudug and Hirshabelle, the second phase is set to cover Jubaland and Southwest regional states.

The twin explosions were followed heavy exchange of gunfire between the militants and security forces in the area.

The number of casualties is still unknown.

Al-Shabaab have lately scaled up its attacks on Somali army and ATMIS military bases after losing swathes of territories to government forces and clan-based vigilantes, known as Macawiisley, in the first phase of the anti-terror offensive.

The attack comes amid rise in tensions in Gedo region, where Bardere is located, over the sacking of the region’s governor by President Ahmed Islam Madobe of Jubaland.

Observers have previously warned that Al-Shabaab militants will take advantage of escalating political crisis in the country to regain ground after huge military losses over the past couple of months.