UAE Military forces in Somalia, The assault, attributed to the group, was claimed due to its perception of the UAE as an ‘enemy’ for supporting the Somali government.
In an attack on a military base in Mogadishu, Somalia, at least five individuals, including four Emirati troops and a Bahraini military officer, lost their lives. The responsibility for the attack was asserted by the Al-Qaeda-affiliated armed group, Al-Shabab, targeting a training mission at the General Gordon military base. Despite limited details, including casualty numbers, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud extended condolences to the UAE.
The UAE’s Ministry of Defense initially reported the deaths of three troops and a Bahraini soldier in a “terrorist act,” with two others wounded. One of the injured succumbed upon arrival in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. Anwar Gargash, a senior Emirati diplomat, expressed condolences and wished a swift recovery for the wounded, emphasizing the commitment to security, safety, and the fight against extremism.
Bahrain, situated in the Gulf, did not immediately acknowledge the attack.
Al-Shabab claimed responsibility online, stating that it targeted individuals involved in the Emirati military effort and labeling the UAE as an ‘enemy’ of Islamic law for supporting the Somali government against the armed group.
Born out of Somalia’s post-1991 civil war anarchy, Al-Shabab, an affiliate of al-Qaeda, once held Mogadishu. However, an African Union (AU)-led force, with support from the United States and others, ousted the group from the capital. Al-Shabab continues to engage in conflicts with the country’s federal government and the AU-mandated peacekeeping mission, aspiring to establish a government based on its interpretation of Islamic law. The group frequently executes bombings in densely populated areas across Somalia.
In a separate incident on Tuesday, multiple attacks in a crowded market in Mogadishu resulted in at least ten fatalities and around 20 injuries.
