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Al-Shabaab fighters storm military base in Somalia

Thursday June 08 2017
fighters

Al Shabaab militants parade new recruits in Somalia. FILE PHOTO | REUTERS

Somalia's militant Islamist group al-Shabaab says it has carried out a major assault on a military base in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland.

Its fighters killed 61 government troops and seized 16 vehicles in the dawn raid, the group said.

A Puntland government minister has denied the high death toll, but did not give separate casualty figures.

The al-Qaeda-linked group has carried out several big attacks on military bases in Somalia.

In January, it said it had killed 50 Kenyan soldiers in an assault on their base in Kulbiyow town in the south of the country.

Kenyan troops are part of an 18,000-strong African Union (AU) force helping the UN-backed government tackle al-Shabaab in Somalia.

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READ: Shabaab's tactical evolution worries UN

In the the latest attack, the militants withdrew after more than three hours of fighting with government forces, residents told the BBC.

The are said to have seized weapons and vehicles from the base.

The attack took place near the remote Galgala Mountains, about 70km (43 miles) from the port city of Bossaso.

Confirming the attack, Puntland Security Minister Abdiaziz Hirsi said that an investigation was underway and details would be given later.

somalia

A map showing the Somalia flag and states. TEA GRAPHIC | NATION MEDIA GROUP

The Galgala Mountains are a stronghold of al-Shabaab, but a faction of militants broke away in 2015 to affiliate themselves with the Islamic State group.

READ: Islamic State militants lose control of Somali town

ALSO READ: Somali militants seize small port in Puntland region

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