QORYOLEY [SMN] – Al-Shabaab militants and AU troops exchanged mortar fire in the southern town of Qoryoley, a week after a deadly attack on the UPDF base in Bulo-Marer.
The Ugandan troops based in the town responded with artillery to Al-Shabaab mortar shelling on Thursday, according to the residents, who spoke to Radio Shabelle by phone.
The AU base which is located south of Qoryoley came under fire in the morning as the UPDF soldiers prepare to hang out for a routine security patrol in the nearby villages.
The details of the casualty number remained unclear. The villagers said Al-Shabaab retreated from the area following the mortar bombardment on the ATMIS FOB camp.
The local officials said that “everything is being done to bring the situation under control”.
Qoryoley which fell to government hands in 2014 is located 120 kilometers Southwest of Mogadishu, the country’s capital.
The attack comes just days after Al-Shabaab raided the UPDF base in Bulo-Marer town within the Lower Shabelle region, where scores of AU peacekeepers are reportedly killed and wounded.
ATMIS said the Bulo Marer camp came under attack at 5:00 am by Al-Shabaab militants “using Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (VBIEDs) and suicide bombers”.
The AU forces from Uganda, Kenya, Burundi, Ethiopia, and Djibouti are helping Somali govt in the fight against Al-Shabaab and is to hand over security responsibilities to SNA by Dec. 2024.
