Al-Shabaab kills senior commander in deadly attack on Somali National Army base

In a pre-dawn raid on a Somali National Army (SNA) base near Jazeera village on the outskirts of Mogadishu, Al-Shabaab militants inflicted casualties on Somali forces, according to local media reports. The exact number of casualties remains unconfirmed. Local sources claim that Al-Shabaab seized control of Busleey village and captured military equipment following the intense attack.

Among those killed in the attack was Liban Gol’ad, commander of the Ugandan-trained SNA military police, according to reports. Al-Shabaab, through a press release, claimed to have killed 57 government soldiers and captured others alive during the early morning assault.

The Somali government has yet to comment on the incident.

This attack comes just nine days after Al-Shabaab fighters targeted the SYL Hotel, located a mere few hundred meters from the presidential palace. That attack resulted in the deaths of 3 soldiers and injuries to at least 27 people, according to government figures.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration has been losing territory to insurgents, with reports of multiple military bases being overrun in central and southern Somalia. The government is facing significant pressure to tackle the worsening security situation in the nation and implement decisive measures.

This is a developing story. We will update it as further information becomes available.