The assault began with explosions, followed by intense gunfire as Jubbaland forces engaged the attackers.
Mogadishu (Somali Report) — Al-Shabab militants attacked an army base belonging to Jubbaland regional forces in the southern Somali town of Burgaabo early Wednesday, triggering hours of heavy fighting and raising fears of casualties, residents and officials said.
The assault began with explosions, followed by intense gunfire as Jubbaland forces engaged the attackers, according to preliminary reports from the area. Casualties were reported on both sides, though officials said the toll could not be independently confirmed.
Residents told local media that the security situation in Burgaabo remained tense hours after the attack began, with sustained gunfire still echoing across the town.
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Neither the Jubbaland administration nor Somalia’s federal government had issued an official statement on the fighting or confirmed casualty figures by Wednesday afternoon.
Burgaabo is a strategic town in the Lower Juba region, located near the border with Kenya and close to the coastal town of Ras Kamboni, an area that has long been contested by Somali government forces and the al-Qaida-linked militant group.
Al-Shabab has stepped up attacks in recent weeks across southern Somalia, targeting military bases and government positions as part of its insurgency against the federal government and regional authorities.
The latest violence underscores the persistent security challenges facing Somalia as government and regional forces continue operations aimed at weakening al-Shabab’s presence in key areas of the country.
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