Somali government forces suffered reported casualties in an Al-Shabaab ambush near Jameeco as they advanced to retake Buurhakaba, recently seized by fighters loyal to former South West leader Abdiaziz Laftagareen.
MOGADISHU (Somali Report) — Somali government forces suffered casualties in an ambush by Al-Shabaab militants near the southern town of Buurhakaba, military sources said, as federal troops attempted to retake the strategic town from fighters loyal to a dismissed regional leader.
The fighting broke out Monday near Jameeco, between Leego and Buurhakaba in the South West state, as government troops advanced towards the town, around 180 kilometres (112 miles) southwest of the capital Mogadishu.
Buurhakaba was recently seized by fighters loyal to Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen, the former president of South West state, who was removed from office amid a deepening political dispute with the federal government.
The federal government has accused Al-Shabaab, the Al-Qaeda-linked militant group, of helping Laftagareen's forces capture the town. The former regional leader's supporters have denied the allegations.
Al-Shabaab claimed Monday that its fighters had ambushed a convoy of Somali National Army troops heading towards Buurhakaba and forced them to retreat towards the Ballidogle airfield, a military installation in the Lower Shabelle region.
Somali defense ministry said in a statement that at least 75 militants were killed and 56 others wounded in the fighting. It confirmed that Al-Shabaab used car bombs to attack the army convoy and inflicted damage to military vehicles.
Multiple sources reported that dozens of soldiers may have been killed in the ambush, although the casualty figures could not be independently verified.
The militant group also released images purporting to show military vehicles destroyed in the attack. The photographs appeared to show armoured vehicles and weapons, but their origin and the circumstances in which the equipment was damaged could not be independently confirmed.
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The latest clashes come amid mounting tensions in South West state, where federal authorities and Laftagareen's supporters are vying for control of key towns and transport routes.
The seizure of Buurhakaba has posed a challenge for the federal government, which has sought to restore its authority in the area and reopen roads linking the regional capital Baidoa with other parts of the country.
The developments have also raised questions over how Laftagareen's forces managed to reach Diinsoor earlier this month, a town that Al-Shabaab had kept under siege for more than 15 years.
Somali intelligence officials have accused the militants of using Laftagareen's forces as cover for their own military movements. They allege that Al-Shabaab captured Qansaxdheere, Buurhakaba, Diinsoor and Bardaale before allowing the former regional leader's fighters to claim control of the towns.
Those allegations have not been independently verified, and the precise circumstances surrounding the shifts in territorial control remain unclear.
Somalia has been battling Al-Shabaab for more than 15 years. The group continues to carry out ambushes, bombings and attacks on military positions despite repeated offensives by government forces and allied fighters.
The fighting near Jameeco underscores the difficulty of pursuing military operations in an area where the insurgency and a separate political confrontation over regional authority have become increasingly intertwined.
About the Author
Ahmed Omar is a senior journalist for Somali Report, based in Mogadishu. He has two decades of experience reporting on Somalia for international and local media. He covers politics, security, governance, business, trade, economic developments and regional affairs.
