Somalia: 7 Militants Killed After Ambush On Ethiopian Troops

...

Somalia: 7 Militants Killed After Ambush On Ethiopian Troops

AMISOM daily media, 15 Jul 2015

URL: http://goo.gl/Li7WyP
Seven Al-Shabaab militants were killed in a fierce clash following a deadly ambush on African Union’s Ethiopian peacekeepers in south-western Somalia, an official has said. The convoy of armored vehicles was attacked on Tuesday evening in an area close to Wajid district of Bakool region and some 302 kilometres northwest of the capital Mogadishu. Deputy Mayor of Hudur district, Aden Abarey told the VOA that seven militants were killed after the ambush but he declined to mention the number of casualties of the Ethiopian troops. The main highway connecting Mogadishu to Somalia’s southern regions is often the sight of insurgent ambushes. It is the second time that Al-Shabaab has ambushed a convoy of the Ethiopian forces in a month. Last month, at least 30 Ethiopian soldiers were killed in a deadly ambush in the same region. The latest violence comes as Al-Shabaab have pressed an offensive across Southern Somalia in the holy month of Ramadan, which carries extra religious significance for them and claim that jihad provides more rewards during the period of religious observance considered one of the five pillars of Islam. The al-Qaeda-linked extremists remain dangerous, unpredictable and bold, known for audacious and chilling attacks. Their fighters routinely target the Somali government in Mogadishu. The group has also sought to terrorize neighboring Kenya.