By Karim Hammam
Islamic extremist militants from al-Shabab killed at least 20 Somali soldiers in an ambush near Jameeca village in southern Somalia on Monday, according to a military officer who survived the attack.
Officer's Account
Officer Abshir Abdikarim told The Associated Press he saw at least 20 fellow soldiers dead after the convoy advanced from Leego into Jameeca in Burhakaba district, Bay region. Some missing soldiers reached Baledogle on Tuesday, while others remain unaccounted for.
Conflicting Casualty Claims
The Somali Defense Ministry said troops killed about 75 militants and wounded 56 during hours of fighting, describing the confrontation as an assault on militant positions. Al-Shabab claimed it killed 321 soldiers and captured prisoners and equipment, including Turkish-supplied armored vehicles. Casualty figures and claims could not be independently verified.
Regional Context
The ministry said militants used explosives-laden vehicles to attack army vehicles, damaging some, but did not specify numbers or address capture claims. African Union troops pushed al-Shabab out of Mogadishu in 2011, but the group continues guerrilla warfare across central and southern Somalia. The fighting occurs amid a separate power struggle in South West state, where government troops clashed last month with militias loyal to former regional president Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen. The Defense Ministry vowed to continue targeting al-Shabab positions.
