61 killed in al-Shabab attack on military base

HEAVILY armed al-Shabab extremists have stormed a military base in Somalia’s semi-autonomous state of Puntland, killing nearly 70 people, officials said.

Officials called it the region’s deadliest attack in years, highlighting the twin challenges facing security forces from al Qaida-linked alShabab and the growing presence of fighters linked to Islamic State (IS).

The attack began with a blast at the remote Af-Urur camp, roughly 100 kilometres (62 miles) west of the commercial hub of Bossaso, before the extremists overran the base and killed soldiers at close range, said senior military official Ahmed Mohamed.

Close to 70 people were killed, though an exact death toll was not yet available, Mr Mohamed said.

Residents reported chaotic scenes, with fighters beheading several civilians they encountered.

One witness, Abdibasit Hassan, said women were among those beheaded.

“The situation is grim over there. This attack was an unexpected one,” Mr Mohamed said.

The extremists, including suicide bombers, reportedly attacked the base from three directions, forcing soldiers to retreat.

Colonel Hashi Ahmed, a senior military official, told the Associated Press that reinforcement troops reached the area and drove the extremists out of the camp.

He estimated that at least 100 fighters were involved in the attack.

Al-Shabab claimed to have killed at least 61 soldiers in the attack.

The SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors extremist groups, said al-Shabab issued the claim via its Shahada News Agency.