Al Shabaab fighters took control of a military base in southern Jubbaland that they had previously surrendered to the army in January, according to a Somali officer and a local.
The military and affiliated clan-based militias, who launched a significant offensive last year, have exerted significant pressure on Al Shabaab, an affiliate of Al Qaeda. But the gang has frequently demonstrated its capacity to respond with significant attacks.
In Somalia, rumors that the offensive has stopped are being fed by the lack of action during the past week. Before beginning the next stage of activities, the government said it was only observing a halt.
According to Major Abdullahi Hussein of the port city of Kismayu, Al Shabaab launched an early-morning vehicle bomb and gunshot attack on the base at Janay Abdale, which is roughly 60 kilometers (37 miles) to the west of Kismayu.
Al Shabaab has received a “major blow,” according to the Jubbaland government, but no specifics were given. Both sides’ preliminary casualty totals were unavailable.