EVN (Sept 19)–Al-Shabab militants initiated an attack on convoys transporting Ethiopian soldiers in Somalia’s southwestern Bakool region early Sunday, as reported by VOA.
The ambush specifically targeted two convoys. The first was en route from the Somali town of Yeed to Wajid, while the second convoy was traveling from El Barde to the town of Huddur. It’s worth noting that Ethiopian troops maintain bases in both Wajid and Huddur.
According to Somali officials, local forces accompanied the convoy traveling from El Barde to Huddur. Mayor Omar Abdullahi Mohamud of Huddur confirmed that the confrontation ensued after the al-Shabab ambushes.
Mohamud stated, “The fighting started after the anti-peace elements attacked the Ethiopian and Somali military convoy moving towards Wajid and Huddur, starting off their attack with an explosion. The troops have repulsed, and the situation is calm.” He went on to claim that the militants suffered significant losses, with as many as 50 fighters reportedly killed.
A senior Somali regional official, who chose to remain anonymous, shared insights with VOA Somali regarding the more intense ambush directed at Ethiopian troops who were escorting military supplies to their compatriots in Wajid. The convoy had spent the night near the village of Booco, located approximately 40 kilometers north of Wajid, after departing from Yeed on Saturday. The official stated that at dawn, the convoy resumed its journey but fell into an al-Shabab ambush. “We heard two vehicles were hit by explosions,” the official reported. The ensuing battle raged on for several hours.
Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the ambush, asserting in a statement that they had killed 167 Ethiopian soldiers, destroyed military vehicles, and seized a cache of weapons and ammunition. It’s important to note that casualty figures provided by both sides have yet to be independently verified.
Ethiopia’s ambassador to Somalia, Mukhtar Mohamed Ware, dismissed al-Shabab’s claims as “propaganda.” He expressed confidence in the capabilities of Ethiopian forces, stating, “They may try [to attack Ethiopian forces] but they cannot even fire for more than 10 minutes against Ethiopian defenses’ forces. This is a professional army; it’s very well equipped, very well organized, it’s always hitting hard when it comes to al-Shabab, so this is mere propaganda; it’s not more than propaganda against Ethiopia and against Ethiopian defense forces.” He strongly rejected al-Shabab’s characterization of Ethiopian troops as “crusaders” and emphasized their presence in Somalia as part of the African Union and international community’s efforts to support the legitimate government in its pursuit of peace.
While Ethiopia has a significant contingent of troops in Somalia, serving as part of the African Union Transition Mission (ATMIS) and in other capacities under agreements with the government in Mogadishu, a security source informed VOA that the ambushed troops were not part of ATMIS. The source acknowledged the reality of the ambush but questioned the accuracy of al-Shabab’s casualty figures.
In related developments, Somali officials reported the capture of the main town of Ba’adweyne and three smaller villages, namely Qodqod, Qay’ad, and Shabelow, by government troops. Local forces commander Mohamed Nur Ali Gadaar revealed that al-Shabab had fled Ba’adweyne and two of the villages following a brief firefight on Sunday. Government forces, backed by local fighters, are currently advancing toward a fourth town, Amaara, located in Galmudug state.
Additionally, the Somali government disclosed conducting a joint operation with “international partners” near the village of Ali Foldhere in the Middle Shabelle region on both Saturday and Sunday. This operation aimed to counter al-Shabab militants attempting to cross a river. Notably, the role of international partners in these ongoing operations has primarily involved conducting airstrikes against al-Shabab fighters and vehicles.
