UPDATE 3 – Government Officers Kidnapped during Shabaab Attack AMISOM base in Somalia

Telegram from Somalia
Africa ExPress stringer
Mogadishu, 24 June 2015

Reports from Leego village area of between Wanlaweyn and Bur Akaba of southern are saying that heavy fighting occurred there when Al Shabaab militia attacked at AMISOM military camp located at Buulo Colow village around Leego area, residents said, when we spoke with phone after the fighting.

Al Shabaab begun the attack using the a suicide car bomb, then  entered tat the camp, following the direct attack of the forces of Al Shabaab. The majority of the soldiers in the camp are Burundian.

Al-Andalus FM, local radio administered al-shabaab said they killed more than 40 AMISOM forces and kidnap other dozen, spokesman of the group said during local media of the group airing today.

Residents said the fighting were going on more than 4 hours and they could not mention exactly, other severe casualties exist “we can not mention the other casualties because the area is an empty, no one is moving in and outside the camp”, said one resident of the area.

Initial reports from AMISOM is saying that still the fighting is going on until now, The office of public relation said after contacted by phone here Mogadishu.  Some other extra reports saying that Al Shabaab taken inside the camp huge army and ammunition, residents said after having contacted by phone from Mogadishu.

The fighting is going on until now, and Al Shabaab did not kill this exaggerated number, but we will investigate the case,” said the www.allbanaadiir.com a local Somali website said, when they contacted to AMISOM.

Another development from the areas of the fighting of today are saying that more than 33 Somali government officers were kidnapped by Al Shabaab during the attack, residents and Abdulkadir Sidii, the Governor of lower Shabelle region said.  “More Government officers were disappeared during the fighting, including Mr. Omar Dheere, South west regional government minister, and Abukar Leego, the commissioner of the Leego district occurred the fighting, located in between Lower Shabelle and Bay regions, and many women members working inside the camp”, the governor indicated.

Africa ExPress Mogadishu Stringer