Somalia's al Shabaab group in rare attack near Ethiopia border

MOGADISHU – Militants from Somali Islamist group al Shabaab attacked two villages close to the border with Ethiopia, killing 17 Ethiopian cops inside Somali territory whereas 63 of its fighters had been killed, an Ethiopian safety commander on the scene mentioned.

The uncommon border-area assault occurred on Wednesday when fighters of the al Qaeda-linked group raided Yeed and Aato villages in Somalia’s Bakool area after the killing days earlier of one in all their commanders on the Ethiopian aspect of the border, the Ethiopian commander mentioned.

Assaults by al Shabaab in areas close to Ethiopia’s border Ethiopia are uncommon due to a sturdy Ethiopian safety presence within the area and inside Somalia, the place they're additionally a part of an African peacekeeping drive.

An al Shabaab commander had crossed the border to create a unit in Ethiopia, mentioned the Ethiopian commander, who requested to not be named as he was not authorised to talk to the media.

He mentioned the regional Ethiopian police seized heavy machine weapons and automobiles from al Shabaab fighters. He mentioned he had seen the handfuls of al Shabaab lifeless.

Al Shabaab’s army operation spokesperson, Abdiasis Abu Musab, mentioned the group’s fighters had captured the 2 villages and killed dozens of Ethiopian cops there. He additionally mentioned the group seized weapons from the Ethiopian police.

Musab declined to touch upon al Shabaab’s demise toll.

Casualty figures given by al Shabaab and the authorities in Somalia or elsewhere are sometimes considerably completely different. Reuters is mostly unable to independently confirm the numbers.

Somalia Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre’s workplace mentioned he had spoken in regards to the assault with the president of Somalia’s southwest area, the place Bakool is positioned. The regional president had not touch upon the assault.

Barre’s workplace mentioned he had ordered safety and aid companies to answer the scenario in Bakool.

Al Shabaab ceaselessly carries out bombings in Somalia to topple the federal government and rule primarily based on its strict interpretation of Islam’s sharia regulation. (This story refiles to take away extraneous phrases in line 19)