Scores dead as Islamic State attacks military base in Somalia

Nearly 100 people were killed and up to 60 others wounded when members of the Islamic State terror group launched a deadly attack on a military base belonging to security forces from Somalia’s Puntland region, officials said Tuesday.

At least 27 Puntland soldiers and more than 70 militants were slain in the fierce fighting around the Togga Jacel area of the Cal Miskaad mountains in Puntland’s Bari region, Puntland security officials told VOA.

In an interview Tuesday with VOA’s Somali Service, a spokesperson for Puntland security operations, Brigadier General Mohamud Mohamed Ahmed — known as Fadhigo — said the militants waged suicide attacks on the military base late Monday.

“We have confirmed that at least 27 Puntland soldiers and 70 Islamic State militants, were killed during the attack and subsequent gun battle,” Ahmed said.

Ahmed said it was the deadliest attack since Puntland launched an offensive last month against Islamic State groups that have hideouts in the mountains.

He said the death toll from the attack could be substantially higher than official figures.

“The death toll, especially that of the militants, could be significantly higher than the number we have provided because they were killed in caves. They were hiding, and we are still assessing,” Ahmed said.

According to Puntland security officials, the militants using car bombs and suicide motorbikes launched attacks on the Puntland security base before a fierce gun battle ensued.

“We knew they were coming as we had prior intelligence tip. They attacked us with car bombs and explosives-laden motorbikes, and then dozens of them engaged in a fierce gun battle with our soldiers,” Ahmed said.

A statement from the Puntland forces said their troops repulsed the attack aimed at taking control of the base.

“Puntland security forces have successfully repelled the enemy attack, and they still remain in their base in Togga Jecel, dealing a significant blow to the extremist group,” the statement said.

On Wednesday last week, nearly 70 people were killed, and up to 50 others were wounded, during 24 hours of fighting between the two sides.

This latest attack is the deadliest the Islamic State militants have waged on Puntland soldiers.

Earlier this month, U.S. warplanes targeted the Islamic State affiliate in Somalia, hitting what officials described as high-ranking operatives in the terror group’s mountainous stronghold.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced the airstrike on social media, describing the main target as a “Senior ISIS Attack Planner and other terrorists he recruited and led.”

Puntland began a major offensive against Islamic State in December and claims to have since killed nearly 200 Islamic State fighters, dozens of them foreign fighters, and captured villages and bases in the mountainous area controlled by IS.

By VOA