Somalia’s central region was the target of an al Shabab attack that was thwarted by the Somali National Army (SNA) forces On Saturday morning.
According to the Somali News Agency, the attack took place in Owsweyne, a recently liberated village in the Galgadud region 20 kilometers away from the Elbur district.
The group detonated a car bomb to start the attack, which was followed by an infantry attack; the number of victims is still unknown.
However , Al-Shabaab militants has claimed to have “overrun” the government’s forces temporary camp and killed 178 soldiers and siezed colossal amount of arsenal but there has been no independent confirmation so far .
The militants also displayed images which they claimed to be Somali soldiers they have captured .
The assault occurs a few hours after al-Shabab militants erratically fled the historic district of Elbur, which is located about 400 kilometers (249 miles) north of the capital Mogadishu. Elbur, in the Galgaduud region of central Somalia, has been an al-Shabab stronghold for almost ten years; its capture would be a major setback for the organization. The raid unfolds as the Somali army and local forces are en route to Galhareri town in the Galgadud region, the last district still under Al-Shabaab control after seizing Ceel-Buur in the most recent operation. The Somali National Army commanders told the state media that the crackdown against the militants will be sustained for longer periods, with the ultimate goal being crushing Al-Shabaab completely. The militants are still dominant in rural central and southern Somalia.
According to the Somali National Army, the second phase of operations against Al-Shabaab will be launched in due course, with Jubaland and Southwest set to be concentration points. Military buildup has been sighted in central and southern Somalia, but the government has yet to authorize the commencement of the operations
