Al-Shabaab attacks SNA base in Bullahawo, casualties reported

The militant group Al-Shabaab attacked a Somali army base and police station Monday morning in Bullahawo the border town with Kenya with fears of casualties reported.

Multiple sources say the militants detonated bombs at the security forces bases at 5am local time and engaged the forces in a heavy gunfire. Kenyan Defence Forces bombarded the militants driving them out of the town, sources say.

Local media in Kenya said security personnel in the border town of Mandera which is barely 4km from Bullahawo were on red alert Monday morning following reports the fighting could spill into the Kenyan side.

A Somali military official quoted by Reuters said 10 Somali soldiers were killed in the fighting.

“We were awoken by a suicide car bomb this morning and then fierce battle followed,” Major Mohamed Abdullahi told Reuters from the town. “We lost at least 10 soldiers. We chased al Shabaab out of the town. We killed seven militants.”

The attack follows another Al-Shabaab attack on Somali army base in Bula Gadud in Kismayu last week.