Al-Shabab fighters armed with machine-guns and rocket-propelled grenades attacked Somali and Ethiopian forces in the southern Somali town of Qansax Dhere with both sides claiming victory over the fighting.
According to residents in the town, the fighting begun in the middle of night when the militants attacked pockets manned by Somali and Ethiopian forces in the town.
A Minister for Disarmament and Rehabilitation of Militias for Somalia’s southwest administration Hassan Hussein Mohamed said that his forces repulsed the attacker’s attempt to overrun their forces.
Mr Hassan Hussein Mohamed cited that Al-Shabab fighters suffered badly during the fighting after their forces managed to capture some of their wounded fighters after their comrades run away due to the intensity of the fighting.
But Al-Shabab militants on the other side claimed victory of the attack disapproving Mohamed’s assertion regarding their forces had the upper hand of the fighting.
A statement aired by Radio Andulus, the group claimed that their fighters had overrun what they called” The enemy’s defensive positions in Qansax Dhere killing several soldiers”.
Whichever version of the story prevails, what is certain is that Al-Shabab fighters have carried out several retaliatory attacks against AU and Somali forces in Bay and Bakool regions.
Since Somali and African Union troops have re-captured large swathes of south and central Somalia.
Al-Shabab has been pushed out of most of the main towns it once controlled, but it still remains a potent threat.
