SOMALIA: Senior government military commander killed in ambush outside Mogadishu
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By; Abdalle Ahmed
Mogadishu (RBC) Senior commander of Somali military was killed on Friday after his convoy was ambushed by Al Shabaab fighters outside the capital, RBC Radio reports.
Col. Afrah Ali Afrah, who was the commander of the third contingent of government military based in Elasha Biyaha area, was killed during a fierce fighting between the government forces and the Al Shabaab fighters in the main Afgooye corridor.
The attack lasted in an hour as dozen of government soldiers were wounded in the attack, eyewitnesses told RBC Radio.
The governor of Lower Shabelle region Abdulkadir Mohamed Siidii confirmed the death of Col. Afrah as he described the attack as a cowardly act.
“They ambushed a convoy of government military heading to Afgooye today at the mid-day of Friday. May Allah give his paradise Col. Afrah was dead.” The governor added. “The government forces managed to kill all of the attackers and the area is secure now”.
Independent sources told RBC Radio that the fighters of Al Shabaab took the body of Col Afrah after he was shot with bullets during the attack but the forces later managed to return back the body.
Al Shabaab local radio announced that Friday’s surprise attack was conducted by Al Shabaab fighters and claimed they have reached their target of the operation.
Meanwhile a fresh attack the government forces captured new locations on the Middle Shabelle region from Al Shabaab after early morning attack. The seized locations include the former El Macaan harbour and former Cisaley airstrip, nearly 20-km north of Mogadishu.
Somalia government forces backing by AMISOM seized the main Afgooye corridor from Al Shabaab at the end of last month but on may 29th Al Shabaab ambushed a convoy carrying president Sharif Sheikh Ahmed shortly after the president returned back from Afgooye town.
RBC Radio
