This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-35321522
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Al-Shabab seizes African Union base in Somalia | Al-Shabab seizes African Union base in Somalia |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Al-Shabab militants have overrun an African Union military base outside the southern Somali town of el-Ade. | Al-Shabab militants have overrun an African Union military base outside the southern Somali town of el-Ade. |
| The Islamist group says it has taken "complete control" of the AU camp and killed more than 60 Kenyan soldiers. | The Islamist group says it has taken "complete control" of the AU camp and killed more than 60 Kenyan soldiers. |
| Residents told the BBC that al-Shabab had raised its flag at a camp for Kenyan troops and said insurgents had paraded bodies through the town. | Residents told the BBC that al-Shabab had raised its flag at a camp for Kenyan troops and said insurgents had paraded bodies through the town. |
| But Kenya's army spokesman said it was a nearby Somali base that was stormed and Kenyan troops counter-attacked. | But Kenya's army spokesman said it was a nearby Somali base that was stormed and Kenyan troops counter-attacked. |
| The number of casualties on both sides was not known, Kenyan military spokesman Col David Obonyo said in a statement. | |
| He told the BBC that reports of high Kenyan casualties were "normal propaganda from al-Shabab". | |
| Kenya contributes more than 4,000 troops to the 22,000-strong AU force that is in Somalia helping the UN-backed government battle al-Shabab, which is part of al-Qaeda. | Kenya contributes more than 4,000 troops to the 22,000-strong AU force that is in Somalia helping the UN-backed government battle al-Shabab, which is part of al-Qaeda. |
| An el-Ade resident told the BBC by phone that he had heard a loud explosion at about 05:30 local time (02:30 GMT), followed by heavy gunfire. | An el-Ade resident told the BBC by phone that he had heard a loud explosion at about 05:30 local time (02:30 GMT), followed by heavy gunfire. |
| "We then saw an al-Shabab fighter in the town. We also saw Kenyan soldiers who were fleeing from the camp. | "We then saw an al-Shabab fighter in the town. We also saw Kenyan soldiers who were fleeing from the camp. |
| "At the moment the camp is in the hands of al-Shabab. We can see military cars burning and dead soldiers all over the place. There are no civilian casualties but most people have fled the town." | "At the moment the camp is in the hands of al-Shabab. We can see military cars burning and dead soldiers all over the place. There are no civilian casualties but most people have fled the town." |
| Analysis: Tomi Oladipo, BBC Monitoring Africa security correspondent | Analysis: Tomi Oladipo, BBC Monitoring Africa security correspondent |
| Al-Shabab is keen to stress - both to the foreign forces in Somalia and would-be defectors within its ranks enamoured by so-called Islamic State - that it is a force to be reckoned with. | Al-Shabab is keen to stress - both to the foreign forces in Somalia and would-be defectors within its ranks enamoured by so-called Islamic State - that it is a force to be reckoned with. |
| It is true that the group exaggerates the scale of its attacks but whether or not the death toll from el-Ade attack is as high as claimed, the African Union mission (Amisom) will have to recognise it still has a long way to go to gain full control of the country. | It is true that the group exaggerates the scale of its attacks but whether or not the death toll from el-Ade attack is as high as claimed, the African Union mission (Amisom) will have to recognise it still has a long way to go to gain full control of the country. |
| It says a lot for the insurgents to be daring enough to strike at the heart of an African Union base and engage troops in hours of combat. | It says a lot for the insurgents to be daring enough to strike at the heart of an African Union base and engage troops in hours of combat. |
| They have done this before - in two major attacks targeting the Somali military last year, dozens of Burundian troops and Ugandans soldiers were killed. | They have done this before - in two major attacks targeting the Somali military last year, dozens of Burundian troops and Ugandans soldiers were killed. |
| Despite these setbacks, Amisom has achieved a lot recently by managing to push al-Shabab out of many parts of southern Somalia. | Despite these setbacks, Amisom has achieved a lot recently by managing to push al-Shabab out of many parts of southern Somalia. |
| An al-Shabab official told the BBC that its fighters had attacked the base after morning prayers, starting with a car bomb before storming the facility. | An al-Shabab official told the BBC that its fighters had attacked the base after morning prayers, starting with a car bomb before storming the facility. |
| "We took control of the base after one hour of fierce fighting," he said. | "We took control of the base after one hour of fierce fighting," he said. |
| "We counted 63 Kenyan bodies inside the base. The other Kenyan troops have run away into the bush and we are hunting them down." | "We counted 63 Kenyan bodies inside the base. The other Kenyan troops have run away into the bush and we are hunting them down." |
| He said the militants were confiscating 28 of 31 military vehicles inside the camp and all arms and ammunition. | He said the militants were confiscating 28 of 31 military vehicles inside the camp and all arms and ammunition. |
| The two military bases - one for Somali troops and the other for AU soldiers - neighbour each other on the outskirts of el-Ade, which is in Gedo region, about 380km (240 miles) west of Mogadishu. | The two military bases - one for Somali troops and the other for AU soldiers - neighbour each other on the outskirts of el-Ade, which is in Gedo region, about 380km (240 miles) west of Mogadishu. |
| Al-Shabab was ousted from the capital, Mogadishu, in August 2011, but still has a presence in large areas of southern Somalia and often stages attacks across the country. | Al-Shabab was ousted from the capital, Mogadishu, in August 2011, but still has a presence in large areas of southern Somalia and often stages attacks across the country. |