Warning: Undefined array key "rbname" in /data/rantburg.com/www/rantburg/pgrecentorg.php on line 14
Hello !
Recent Appearances... Rantburg

Israel-Palestine-Jordan
Israel expands offensive in Gaza, strikes kill and injure civilians
2025-04-23
[GEO.TV] According to reports from Al Jazeera Arabic, Israeli forces have intensified their offensive across Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with a rusty iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response...
, launching multiple Arclight airstrike
...KABOOM!...
s and drone attacks that have killed and injured several Paleostinians.

In the southern town of Bani Suheila, near Khan Younis, a dronezap on tents sheltering displaced civilians killed at least one person and maimed several others.

Simultaneously, Israeli bombardments continue in northern Gaza, including Gaza City and the Jabalia refugee camp.

Airstrikes struck residential areas on Old Gaza Street in Jabalia al-Balad and on al-Nakheel Street in Gaza City's Tuffah neighbourhood, causing additional casualties.

Al Jazeera also reports that Israeli forces are demolishing homes in eastern Gaza City and southern Rafah, aiming to expand their declared "security zones."

Rafah has been encircled and cut off from the rest of the Gaza Strip as Israel intensifies its pressure campaign on Hamas
..a contraction of the Arabic words for "frothing at the mouth",...
Exact casualty numbers are still unknown as the situation remains fluid.

IDF destroys dozens of Gaza construction vehicles it says used for terror activities

[IsraelTimes] Military notes some of the equipment it targeted was used by Hamas in Oct. 7 assault; Gazan officials report 26 killed in other strikes across Strip

The Israel Defense Forces carried out a series of strikes across the Gazoo Strip overnight and on Tuesday morning, attacking terror infrastructure and also targeting and destroying some 40 construction vehicles in the Gaza Strip, which the IDF said were used by Hamas
..not a terrorist organization, even though it kidnaps people, holds hostages, and tries to negotiate by executing them,...
for terror activities.

The action came as Gaza’s Hamas-run civil defense agency said Israeli air strikes killed at least 26 people across the territory. The figures could not be verified and do not differentiate between civilians and terror operatives.

Israel did not comment on the individual strikes, but says it seeks to minimize civilian fatalities and stresses that Hamas uses Gaza’s civilians as human shields, fighting from civilian areas, including homes, hospitals, schools, and mosques.

In a statement, the military said that the heavy equipment it destroyed was used by Hamas during the October 7, 2023, onslaught to breach the Israeli border barrier in dozens of locations, allowing thousands of bandidos holy warriors to stream into Israel.

The earthmovers have also been used by Hamas during the war to plant bombs, dig tunnels, and clear rubble to locate weaponry buried under it, the IDF said.

"The engineering vehicles that were struck are a major component of Hamas’s ability to carry out terror attacks on IDF troops and the State of Israel," the statement said.

The IDF said the strike was carried out to "disrupt" Hamas’s heavy equipment capability.

A municipality in the Jabaliya area of northern Gaza said a strike on its parking garage destroyed nine bulldozers provided by Egypt and Qatar
...an emirate on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It sits on some really productive gas and oil deposits, which produces the highest per capita income in the world. They piss it all away on religion, financing the Moslem Brotherhood and several al-Qaeda affiliates. Home of nutbag holy manYusuf al-Qaradawi...
, which helped broker a ceasefire that took hold in January, but then collapsed by March.

Hamas denounced the strikes, saying in a statement that "the occupation’s destruction of civilian equipment intended to aid and rescue civilians and alleviate their suffering... is a confirmation of the criminal nature of this entity, which is devoid of all moral standards."

Heavy construction equipment was a key stipulation from Hamas in the January ceasefire and threatened to derail the process in February, a month before it eventually fell apart anyway. Hamas said at the time that earth-moving equipment, along with thousands of mobile homes, were needed to provide housing for Gazooks after fighting caused widespread devastation across the Strip.
Link


Africa Horn
Somalia: Jubaland forces integrate armed militias in push for control over Gedo region
2025-04-22
[ShabelleMedia] Paramilitary forces aligned with Somalia’s Jubaland regional administration have integrated a group of armed militias previously active in the town of Balad Hawo, as part of a renewed effort to assert control over the contested Gedo region, officials said on Monday.

The militias, reportedly left without financial support from allied local businessmen, have joined the ranks of the Jubaland Darawish forces. Ali Hassan Deeq, deputy commander of the regional force, said the fighters would now be registered as official personnel within the Jubaland security apparatus.

"They will be part of our official forces, recognised by the administration," Deeq said during a brief ceremony held in Balad Hawo.

The move comes amid ongoing tensions between the Jubaland leadership and Somalia’s federal government in Mogadishu. Jubaland’s president, Ahmed Mohammed Madobe, severed ties with the federal authorities after his disputed re-election in 2023, which was rejected by Mogadishu and deemed unconstitutional.

The federal government later issued an arrest warrant for Madobe, a move he reciprocated by issuing a similar order for Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. The rift has deepened divisions over control of southern Somalia, particularly in the Gedo region.

Somali government forces had recently deployed to the coastal town of Ras Kamboni in Lower Juba in response to Madobe’s re-election. However,
nothing needs reforming like other people's bad habits...
Jubaland forces retook the area within two weeks, capturing several government soldiers and forcing others to flee across the Kenyan border, according to regional officials.

Travel restrictions have since been imposed in several towns under Jubaland’s control, including Kismayo
...a port city in the southern Lower Juba province of Somalia, at the extreme southern end of the country (always assuming Somalia can be called a country). It is the commercial capital of the autonomous Jubaland region....
, Bardhere and Doolow, as the political and military standoff shows little sign of resolution.
Related:
Balad Hawo: 2023-07-26 Jubaland: Somali army kills 25 militants in Bakool, foils kaboom in Gedo
Balad Hawo: 2017-09-12 Al Shabaab Claims Killing 30 Soldiers In Balad Hawo Attack
Related:
Darawish forces: 2025-02-17 Somalia and U.S. Military Joint Operation Targets ISIS militants in Puntland
Darawish forces: 2025-01-22 Ethiopian Troops Withdraw from Dinsoor, Raising Concerns Over Al-Shabaab’s Return
Darawish forces: 2017-12-28 Puntland State Army Officer Shot Dead In Galkayo Town
Related:
Jubaland: 2025-04-17 US Military Strikes ISIS in Puntland, Somalia, Killing One Militant
Jubaland: 2025-04-05 Jubaland Deploys Elite Force to Battle Al-Shabaab in Lower Juba Offensive
Jubaland: 2025-04-03 Forces Launch Joint Operations Against Al-Shabaab in Southern Somalia
Link


Africa Horn
Airstrike destroys Al-Shabaab's makeshift bridge in Somalia
2025-03-11
[Garowe] An Arclight airstrike
...KABOOM!...
coordinated by the Somali National Army (SNA) destroyed al-Shabaab
... al-Qaeda's tentacle in East Africa...
's makeshift bridge, officials said, noting the significance of the target, which was being used by the group to connect many areas in middle regions.

According to officials, the al-Shabaab fighters used the bridge as the link within central regions, making movements easier in the Middle Shabelle region where an intense operation is taking place following new infiltration into the region by the holy warriors.

The strike also killed Death Eaters and destroyed vehicles, according to the statement. In recent months, intense fighting has been witnessed in central Somalia after the local military and international partners activated operations on the frontlines.

Somali intelligence officials also believe that the al-Shabaab attack on Bal’ad town on Feb 27 was a decoy as the Death Eaters were transporting a large number of fighters in the vicinity of Yaaqle to move north into the Middle Shabelle region where fighting has been intense recently.

Last month, the local media reported that with support from African Union
...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful...
troops from Burundi, Somali government forces fought back and removed al-Shabaab fighters who entered Balad earlier this morning. Multiple casualties have been reported.

To neutralize the holy warriors, the US Africa Command together with the federal government of Somalia, have frequently launched airstrikes within the central regions as a wider strategy to neutralize the al-Shabaab, a group fighting painfully to dislodge the federal government.

Al-Shabaab's capacity has been significantly neutralized following sustained military operations, but the group can still wage small-scale sporadic attacks — usually targeting security forces, senior government officials, and innocent civilians.

The Somali National Army has heavily relied on backup from the US Africa Command and the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) but the regions have drastically reduced their presence ahead of the much anticipated exit.
Link


Africa Horn
Somalia Forces Retake Town Near Capital After Al-Shabaab Attack
2025-03-01
[Garowe] The Somali National Army (SNA) repulsed a major al-Shabaab
... Somalia's version of the Taliban, functioning as an arm of al-Qaeda...
attack at Balad town, sources said, reflecting the commitment by the local forces to restore peace and stability in the Horn of Africa.

Residents reported heavy gunfire, explosions, and intense firefight in and around the agricultural town. This is the first major attack in the country in as many weeks, but the bully boyz have significantly lost ground.

For the last two weeks, the al-Shabaab have been launching pre-dawn attacks following operations by the Somali National Army and the African Union
...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful...
Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) in Middle Shabelle and Hiran regions.

When President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud took over, these areas were where the federal government had successes against the Lions of Islam during the 2022-2023 military offensive, which led to a major defeat against the group.

According to officials, the local troops got a major boost from the Burundian troops, who were stationed around the scene of the battlefield. Multiple casualties have been reported but the exact figures are yet to be disclosed.

This comes amid major differences between Mogadishu and Bujumbura over the exact number of soldiers who would serve in the AUSSOM. The Burundian government has threatened to withdraw the soldiers if a solution is not reached.

According to officials, the Burundian government wants the allocation of soldiers to be doubled to 2,000 from the current suggestion of 1050, but Somalia has not approved the number. A total of 11,500 people shall serve in AUSSOM as peacekeepers, including the civilian team.

Security analysts believe the capabilities of terrorist organizations are increasing and evolving relatively fast. In Somalia, the al-Shabāab al-Mujāhideen Terror group could own the largest cache of Kamikaze and small surveillance drones in the entire East and Central Africa.
Related:
Balad town: 2025-02-28 Somalia Forces Retake Town Near Capital After Al-Shabaab Attack
Balad town: 2020-02-23 SNA Forces Carry Out An Operation Against Al-Shabaab
Balad town: 2019-03-17 Roadside Bomb Targets AU Military Convoy In Mogadishu
Related:
Middle Shabelle: 2025-02-28 Somalia Forces Retake Town Near Capital After Al-Shabaab Attack
Middle Shabelle: 2025-02-27 Somali Forces and Local Clan Militia Foil Al-Shabaab Attacks
Middle Shabelle: 2025-02-27 Somali Government Says Airstrikes Hit Al-Shabaab Convoy in Middle Shabelle
Related:
Hiran : 2025-02-28 Somalia Forces Retake Town Near Capital After Al-Shabaab Attack
Hiran : 2025-02-14 Zionist invasion of southern Syria continues
Hiran : 2025-02-01 Heavy Clashes Reported in Hiran Region Between Somali Forces and Al-Shabaab
Link


Africa Horn
Somalia Forces Retake Town Near Capital After Al-Shabaab Attack
2025-02-28
[Garowe] The Somali National Army (SNA) repulsed a major al-Shabaab
... an Islamic infestation centering on Somalia attempting to metastasize into Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and similar places, all ofwhich have enough problems without them...
attack at Balad town, sources said, reflecting the commitment by the local forces to restore peace and stability in the Horn of Africa.

Residents reported heavy gunfire, explosions, and intense firefight in and around the agricultural town. This is the first major attack in the country in as many weeks, but the murderous Moslems have significantly lost ground.

For the last two weeks, the al-Shabaab have been launching pre-dawn attacks following operations by the Somali National Army and the African Union
...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful...
Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) in Middle Shabelle and Hiran regions.

When President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud took over, these areas were where the federal government had successes against the Death Eaters during the 2022-2023 military offensive, which led to a major defeat against the group.

According to officials, the local troops got a major boost from the Burundian troops, who were stationed around the scene of the battlefield. Multiple casualties have been reported but the exact figures are yet to be disclosed.

This comes amid major differences between Mogadishu and Bujumbura over the exact number of soldiers who would serve in the AUSSOM. The Burundian government has threatened to withdraw the soldiers if a solution is not reached.

According to officials, the Burundian government wants the allocation of soldiers to be doubled to 2,000 from the current suggestion of 1050, but Somalia has not approved the number. A total of 11,500 people shall serve in AUSSOM as peacekeepers, including the civilian team.

Security analysts believe the capabilities of terrorist organizations are increasing and evolving relatively fast. In Somalia, the al-Shabāab al-Mujāhideen Terror group could own the largest cache of Kamikaze and small surveillance drones in the entire East and Central Africa.
Shabelle Media adds:
The Somali National Army (SNA) thwarted an assault by al-Shabaab
... Somalia's version of the Taliban, functioning as an arm of al-Qaeda...
forces of Evil on military bases near Bal’ad district in the Middle Shabelle region,30 kilometers north of Mogadishu late Thursday night, military officials said.

The attack, launched in the early hours during morning prayers, was met with a robust defense, resulting in significant losses for the holy warrior group, according to Somali military sources cited by state media. While exact figures remain unconfirmed, several al-Shabaab fighters were reportedly killed, with their bodies discovered strewn across nearby farmlands.

The morning attack follows a major offensive earlier this week in the El Cali Axmed and al-Kowther areas, where Somali forces, backed by international partners, killed more than 70 forces of Evil in combined air and ground operations. The Middle Shabelle region, a strategic corridor between Mogadishu and Hirshabelle state, has seen heightened bad boy activity as al-Shabaab attempts to disrupt government-led campaigns.

The Somali federal government has ramped up efforts in recent months to reclaim areas under al-Shabaab control, focusing on central and southern regions.

The Ministry of Information emphasized that current operations aim to dismantle the group’s presence and secure vital infrastructure, including roads linking Mogadishu to central Somalia, to bolster economic stability and governance.
Link


Africa Horn
Somali Forces Clear Al-Shabaab from Villages in Lower Shabelle
2025-01-01
[ShabelleMedia] In a coordinated effort to enhance security, the Somali Armed Forces, including the 64th Brigade of the 7th Division, the 60th Division, and the Wanlawain Police Force, executed an operation against Al-Shabaab in the Lower Shabelle region.

The operation spanned multiple villages and areas including Aybuley, Isgad, Hoo Hook, Fulaley, Garfale, Dibati, Qabibiyow, Tuhur Qaboobey, Warahley, Ali Boonad, Lugud Jiliwayne, and Baladul Amin, successfully ensuring their safety from the militant group.

Commander Ali Abdullahi Halac of the 64th Brigade and Dhamme Abdulle Issac, Commander of the Wanlawain District Police Station, issued a joint statement encouraging local residents to collaborate with the military to achieve lasting peace in the region.
Link


Africa Horn
Somali Forces Clear Al-Shabaab from Villages in Lower Shabelle
2025-01-01
[ShabelleMedia] In a coordinated effort to enhance security, the Somali Armed Forces, including the 64th Brigade of the 7th Division, the 60th Division, and the Wanlawain Police Force, executed an operation against Al-Shabaab in the Lower Shabelle region.

The operation spanned multiple villages and areas including Aybuley, Isgad, Hoo Hook, Fulaley, Garfale, Dibati, Qabibiyow, Tuhur Qaboobey, Warahley, Ali Boonad, Lugud Jiliwayne, and Baladul Amin, successfully ensuring their safety from the militant group.

Commander Ali Abdullahi Halac of the 64th Brigade and Dhamme Abdulle Issac, Commander of the Wanlawain District Police Station, issued a joint statement encouraging local residents to collaborate with the military to achieve lasting peace in the region.
Link


Israel-Palestine-Jordan
French paper: Former MK Azmi Bishara ‘strongly influenced’ Paris outline
2024-03-18
[IsraelTimes] French daily Le Figaro reports that former Balad MK Azmi Bishara played a role in talks between the US, Qatar
...an emirate on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It sits on some really productive gas and oil deposits, which produces the highest per capita income in the world. They piss it all away on religion, financing the Moslem Brotherhood and several al-Qaeda affiliates. Home of nutbag holy manYusuf al-Qaradawi...
, Israel and Hamas
...the braying voice of Islamic Resistance®,...
in Gay Paree in February to build an outline for a potential hostage deal with Hamas.

A source quoted by the French paper says Bishara "strongly influenced the drafting" of the outline, which would see a temporary pause in fighting in Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with an iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response...
and the release of hostages held by Hamas since October 7 in exchange for the release of Paleostinian security prisoners and provisions for the entry of humanitarian aid to the Strip.

The report adds that Bishara serves as an adviser to Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

Once a Knesset black sheep over his pro-Paleostinian stance, Bishara left Israel in 2007, accused of spying for Hezbollah, a charge he denied.
It was a little more than merely spying: he was accused of advising Hezbollah and directing its rocket fire against Israel during a month-long war in 2006.
He is now a major personality in Qatari media and has a following of more than 1.7 million on social media platform X.

The Gay Paree proposal is still in the midst of negotiations, with Israel expected to send a delegation to Qatar tomorrow.
Related:
Azmi Bishara: 2016-12-19 Arab MK allegedly smuggled mobile phones to Palestinian security prisoners
Azmi Bishara: 2016-10-07 Accused Hezbollah Operative Slated to Speak In Washington, D.C.
Azmi Bishara: 2016-09-19 Arab-Israeli party suspected of multimillion-shekel fraud
Link


Africa Horn
Bomb attack in Somalia leaves at least five dead
2024-02-12
08/02/2024
[ShabelleMedia] At least five people were killed Wednesday and 10 maimed in a kaboom in Somalia’s lower Shabelle region in the state of South West, according to officials.

The attack involved an improvised explosive (IED) device that targeted a security checkpoint in the town of Afgoye, said Ibrahim Ali, a security official in South West who spoke to Anadolu.

He said the number of maimed included civilians and security personnel who were rushed to hospitals and medical facilities in the national capital of Mogadishu.

Afgoye is a strategic agricultural town 30 kilometers (18 miles) southwest of Mogadishu.

No group has yet grabbed credit for the attack.

But the bombing comes hours after al-Shabaab
... the personification of Somali state failure...
grabbed credit for a kaboom in the port city of Bosaso that targeted a security bigshot in the semiautonomous state of Puntland
...a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998. Puntland and the equally autonomous Somaliland seem to have avoided the clan rivalries and warlordism that have typified the rest of Somalia, which puts both places high on the list for Islamic subversion...
.
Related:
Lower Shabelle: 2023-09-03 Al-Shabab militants killed in southern Somalia
Lower Shabelle: 2023-08-22 Shaboob surrenders to Somali army
Lower Shabelle: 2023-06-08 Somali National Army launches a joint operation with international partners against Al-shabaab militants in Baladul Amin, lower Shabelle
Related:
Afgoye: 2023-12-30 Somalia’s spy agency arrests 8, including Ugandan linked to Al-Shabaab
Afgoye: 2023-11-21 Suspected Al-Shabaab members appear in Somali military court
Afgoye: 2023-11-13 Somalia: NISA intercepts Al-Shabaab recruits
Link


Iraq
American drone crashes near an airbase in Iraq, Iran’s catspaws claim they dunnit
2024-01-20
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] A fallen American drone was discovered near an Iraqi airbase,
...did it have parts made in China?
and an investigation into the incident began, RIA Novosti reported on January 20 with reference to the Pentagon.

“At 19:20 (the time coincides with Moscow. - Note by IA Regnum ), an American unmanned aerial vehicle fell near the Balad air base in Iraq,” the US Department of Defense said in a statement.

It is noted that the drone was picked up by Iraqi law enforcement officers. There were no reports of casualties. An investigation is underway.

As Regnum reported, on January 4, in the Iraqi capital, a drone strike killed one of the commanders of the pro-Iranian Shiite movement Hezbollah al-Nujabaa, better known as Abu Taqwa, as well as his supporter. The deceased headed the 12th brigade of the movement. Hezbollah al-Nujabaa confirmed the death of the commander and blamed the United States for what happened. The target of the UAV attack was the headquarters of the logistics forces in Baghdad.

At the end of December 2023, the US military carried out strikes on three targets of the Kataib Hezbollah group and associated groups in Iraq. The Pentagon called the attack a response to attacks against the US military in Iraq and Syria, including the shelling of a US air base at the airport in the city of Erbil in northern Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).

US says probing cause of drone crash in Iraq after Iran-backed militias claim to down UAV

[IsraelTimes] An American drone crashed north of Baghdad, a US defense official says Friday, after Iran-backed bully boyz claimed they fired on an unmanned aircraft flying over Iraq.

"A US UAV crashed near Balad airbase, Iraq" on Thursday night local time, the official tells AFP, without identifying the type of drone that was lost.

"Iraqi security forces recovered the aircraft. There were no injuries reported," the official says, adding that "an investigation of the cause of the crash is underway."

The Islamic Resistance® in Iraq, a loose alliance of Iran-linked gangs that oppose US support for Israel, said Friday that it fired on a US MQ-9 — a type of drone that can be used for both surveillance and strikes — which was operating over Iraq the day before.

"Mujahideen yesterday targeted... an MQ-9 drone belonging to the American occupation," the group said in a statement.
Related:
Balad air base: 2021-04-05 Rocket Falls near Iraqi Base Hosting US Contractors
Balad air base: 2020-08-17 Katyusha rocket lands in Baghdad’s Green Zone
Balad air base: 2020-08-14 Good morning
Link


Africa Horn
Al-Shabaab attacks AU military base in southern Somalia
2023-12-14
11/12/2023
[ShabelleMedia] The al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab
... the personification of Somali state failure...
fighters have attacked the AU military base in the Lower Shabelle region, which borders Mogadishu, the Somali capital.

A face-to-face battle erupted following the ambush attack, which raged on for several hours between the attackers and the African Union
...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful...
soldiers, who managed to defend their camp.

Al-Shabaab claimed it inflicted losses on the ATMIS forces, but there was no independent verification of the claims. The attack comes amid intensified military operation in Somalia.

Lower Shabelle is the most militarized region in Somalia, where al-Shabaab has a long-time presence, facing the US military that mans the drone base in Baladdogle airfield.

In May, al-Shabaab overrun an ATMIS base in Bula-Marer town, which houses Ugandan troops serving under the AU mission. As many as 57 UPDF soldiers have bit the dust.

UPDF makes up the bulk of the African Union Transition Mission [ATMIS], and they have been operating in Mogadishu and Lower Shabelle region since their deployment in 2007.
Related:
Lower Shabelle: 2023-11-21 AU troops in Somalia foil Al-Shabaab attack on base – spokesman
Lower Shabelle: 2023-10-24 Al-Shabaab suicide bomb leaves six soldiers dead
Lower Shabelle: 2023-10-18 Al-Shabaab bombing at a checkpoint in Somalia kills soldiers
Related:
ATMIS: 2023-11-28 Al-Shabaab financier jailed in Somalia
ATMIS: 2023-11-27 Somalia: Moroccan nationals linked to ISIS, arrested in Puntland
ATMIS: 2023-11-21 AU troops in Somalia foil Al-Shabaab attack on base – spokesman
Link


Africa Horn
Somalia: Over 20 killed in Al-Shabaab mid-noon truck bombing
2023-09-24
[Garowe] More than 20 people were killed on Saturday afternoon in Somalia, witnesses said, in the latest "worst" attack targeting civilians in central Somalia, amid an ongoing crackdown against the al-Shabaab
...... Somalia's version of the Taliban, functioning as an arm of al-Qaeda...
, a group that has been causing chaos and mayhem in the country.

According to witnesses, the attack at Beledweyne, was the most devastating in as many months, with the corpse count likely to rise significantly. Those injured have been rushed to regional hospitals for further treatment, but the government is yet to confirm the exact number of those who have died.

A truck bomb exploded near a busy checkpoint near the town center, with the immediate target still not year known, witnesses said. The explosion caused massive destruction to neighboring residential areas within the country, witnesses added while acknowledging the presence of several bodies.

The checkpoint is located at the former beverages factory building known as Horseed, sources said, without giving much details. The town is fragile and quite exposed to al-Shabaab attacks, but in recent weeks, it has been extremely calm, according to residents.

Beledweyne, 350Kms north of the Somali capital, Mogadishu is the Hiiraan regional capital within HirShabelle state, and lately, it has been the epicenter of the fight against al-Shabaab krazed killers, particularly through clan mobilization since last year.

The al-Shabaab krazed killers, through their proxy media houses, have already taken responsibility, without giving specific details on the target. However,
some people are alive only because it's illegal to kill them...
the forces of Evil usually target senior government officials, security officers, and at times innocent civilians in the country.

In recent weeks, al-Shabaab forces of Evil have been attacking government forces in south and central Somalia, following the activation of operations against the group in central Somalia. The krazed killers, however, have been facing defeats in the country given the sustained military operations.

On the 19th of this month, Somalia wrote to the United Nations
...where theory meets practice and practice loses...
Security Council, asking for a technical pause on the withdrawal of the African Union
...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful...
Transition Mission in Somalia [ATMIS].

At least 3,000 soldiers were expected to leave the mission by the end of this month, but Somalia insists it needs at least three more months for the move to be effected.



Update at 12:15 p.m. EDT courtesy of Fred:
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]

Related:
Beledweyne: 2023-07-09 Army re-ignites Al-Shabaab crackdown in central Somalia
Beledweyne: 2023-05-26 Somalia forces foil major Al-Shabaab attack
Beledweyne: 2023-05-08 Hiran gov bans vehicles delivering food to Shaboob territory
Related:
Hiiraan region: 2023-09-12 Several fighters defect from Al-Shabaab, surrender in Somalia
Hiiraan region: 2023-09-08 Somalia arrests army officers for abandoning frontlines against Al-Shabaab
Hiiraan region: 2023-08-16 Somalia military repels Al-Shabaab attack in central region
Related:
HirShabelle: 2023-09-21 Somalia president reshuffles military amid operations against Al-Shabaab
HirShabelle: 2023-09-16 Hassan Sheikh: Gorgor soldiers, important in Al-Shabaab war
HirShabelle: 2023-09-09 Somalia: SNA shift tactics in Al-Shabaab war, gives locals roles
Link



Warning: Undefined property: stdClass::$T in /data/rantburg.com/www/rantburg/pgrecentorg.php on line 132
-12 More