the United States of America ‘strongly’ condemned a heavy attack on one of the ATMIS peacekeepers’ posts in the Lower Shabelle region of the Southwest Federal State of Somalia, Friday.
“The United States strongly condemns today’s attack by Al-Shabaab in Buulo Mareer on the Ugandan peacekeeping forces deployed to the African Union Transition Mission (ATMIS) in Somalia. We express our deepest condolences to the victims’ families and friends and wish a full recovery to those injured. The United States commends the bravery and sacrifice of the troops participating in this important mission. We stand with our Somali and African Union partners in the fight to defeat terrorism and to advance peace and stability for the Somali people,” the US Statement said.
The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) said in a statement it was probing the security loopholes the extremist Al-Qaeda-linked group, Al Shabaab, took advantage of.
“ATMIS forces are currently assessing the security situation,” a statement ATMIS posted on Facebook and Twitter said.
The peacekeeper command puts the death toll at 29. Al Shabaab , on the other hand, claimed they killed over 137 of the peacekeepers.
In fact, pictures that the group released look like the camp was completely overrun.
Buulo Mareer is approximately120 kilometers to the southwest of the capital of federal Somalia Mogadishu.
