Al-Shabaab attacks Somali border town, kills 10

The Al-Shabaab armed group attacked a border town and ambushed a Somali military base killing 10, Reuters reported.

Balad Hawo, a Somali border town near Kenya was attacked by Al-Shabaab using a suicide car bomb, a fierce gun-battle with Somali forces then erupted.

“We were awoken by a suicide car bomb this morning and then fierce battle followed,” Major Mohamed Abdullahi said. “We lost at least 10 soldiers. We chased Al-Shabaab out of the town. We killed seven militants,” he continued.

Al-Shabaab claimed that they killed 24 Somali soldiers.

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“Al Shabaab captured the military base, the police station and most part of the town,” a local shopkeeper said. “But still we hear heavy exchange of gunfire on the far side of town. I could see two military vehicles taken by Al-Shabaab.”

The armed group Al-Shabaab is affiliated with Al-Qaeda and aims to implement a strict interpretation of Islamic law across Somalia. The armed group regularly conducts suicide car bomb attacks across the country.