UPDF soldiers killed in Somalia, Al Shabaab reports 40

UPDF soldiers killed in Somalia, Al Shabaab reports 40

Somalia’s al Shabaab insurgents and troops from the African Union peacekeeping mission have clashed today Sunday in a fierce fight international new source Reuters has reported.

Uganda’s senior military officer said 8 UPDF soldiers died while the group said it had killed 40 soldiers.

The incident took place in Bulamareer district in Lower Shabelle region about 140 km southwest of Mogadishu.

The al Shabaab fighters ambushed a convoy carrying troops from the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), Col. Hassan Mohamed, told Reuters.

“The ambush turned into a fierce fight between al Shabaab and AMISOM. We understand fighting is still going on but we do not have the figure of casualties,” he told Reuters.

Abdiasis Abu Musab, al Shabaab’s military operation spokesman, said: “We have in hand 39 dead bodies of AU soldiers including their commander.”

A military source said the attacked soldiers are from the Uganda People’s Defence Force [UPDF] contingent.

“Al Shaabab claims it killed 40 UPDF soldiers today. Those are unconfirmed reports but they did ambush our troops along river Shebbelle,” the source said.

The casualty figure could not be immediately independently verified.

Voice of America reports that 10 UPDF soldiers were killed in the ambush.