MOGADISHU, Somalia
A senior trained Somali national army commando was killed Friday and several wounded when al-Shabaab terrorists launched an early morning attack on a military camp in central Somalia, said officials.
The attack involved car bombs at a military base in the newly liberated Galcad town in Galmudug state that resulted in multiple casualties, including US-trained commandos (DANAB) deputy commander Hassan Tuurre, according to Ilyas Ali, a security official who spoke to Anadolu.
Galcad is a strategic town located 375 kilometers (233 miles) northeast of the nation’s capital of Mogadishu.
Tuurre was a key figure in the ongoing military offensives against the al-Shabaab terror group in the central region.
Residents who spoke to Anadolu reported that they heard heavy explosions and a fierce gunfight between commandos and the terrorists.
Former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire described Tuurre as “brave” and who devoted himself to protecting “the life, wealth and honor of the nation.”
He urged Somalia to unite and fight terrorists.
“I once again urge the Somali people to unite to eradicate the Kharijite group,” he said in a statement.
Al-Shabaab terrorists claimed responsibility for the attack and said it killed more than 100 soldiers.
The group has intensified its attacks, mainly targeting security personnel and their bases, since the national army, backed by residents, started its offensive against the terrorists.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud declared a “total war” on all fronts against the terrorists and since the announcement, the army has scored significant victories against the group.
Earlier this week, the army liberated the strategic seaside town of Haradhere which has been under the control of the terror group for more than a decade.
Somalia has been plagued by insecurity for years, with al-Shabaab and Daesh/ISIS being among the main threats.
The UN has warned of growing instability in the country, issuing periodic reports last year that detailed attacks by al-Shabaab and pro-Daesh/ISIS terror groups.
