by Abdi Sheikh and Feisal Omar
MOGADISHU (Reuters) – The Somali insurgent group Al Shabaab attacked an African Union mission camp in the central Shabelle region, a resident and the group said on Tuesday, and three civilians died in the crossfire, according to another resident.
“We were woken up by huge explosions early in the morning. The explosions occurred at the base of the African Union mission. Heavy firefights followed,” said Mohamed Nur, a resident of the region, told Reuters by phone from El Baraf, about 130 km north of the capital Mogadishu.
Al Shabaab, which has been fighting for years to overthrow the central government and establish its own regime based on its strict interpretation of Sharia, claimed responsibility for the attack.
Farah Hussein, a trader living in a village near the scene of the attack, told Reuters by phone that he saw two helicopters fly past and fire gunfire after the initial attack.
“So far we know that three civilians have died and five others have been injured in the fighting,” he added.
Local authorities and the African Union mission were not immediately available for comment.
Al Shabaab carries out frequent bombings and gun attacks in Mogadishu and elsewhere, also targeting soldiers working for the African Union peacekeeping mission.
(French version Dina Kartit, edited by Kate Entringer)
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