In the midst of a government crisis, 4 dead in an attack by Al-Shabaab near the Somali capital

At least four people were killed on Thursday in an attack by militants from the extremist group Al-Shabab in a city near the Somali capital Mogadishu, police said.

The attack took place while the country is experiencing a political crisis between the president and the prime minister.

The attackers armed with machine guns launched an attack on the town of Balad, about 30 km north of Mogadishu, according to police and witnesses.

Police officer Abdullah Muhammad confirmed in a phone call that “terrorists attacked Balad early this morning, targeting government security checkpoints.”

He added: “The situation is back to normal now and the government forces are in control.”

Eyewitnesses reported that Al-Shabaab fighters managed to enter in some parts of the city on a road connecting Mogadishu with the rest of the country, before being expelled.

Somali Prime Minister and Somali President
Somali Prime Minister and Somali President

President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed and Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Robley are in disagreement on the organization of the long-awaited elections in the country of the Horn of Africa.

The president, known as Farmajo, this week announced the suspension of the prime minister’s duties, who in turn accused the president of an “attempted coup.”

The relationship between the two men has always been strained, but recent developments have raised concern among international observers that the government’s focus is shifting away from countering the armed insurgency.

Al-Shabaab has perpetrated violence against the fragile government since 2007, but was expelled from Mogadishu in 2011 following an attack by an African Union force.

However, al-Qaeda-linked insurgents have regained control of large rural areas of Somalia from which they launch bloody attacks in the capital and elsewhere against civilian, military and government targets.

Last month, extremists claimed responsibility for a car bomb in the capital, killing eight people and injuring several students.

The extremist movement also claimed responsibility for two attacks in September that killed 17 people.

Read More About: World News

Follow AsumeTech on

More From Category

More Stories Today

Leave a Reply