MOGADISHU, Somalia – An army vehicle drove over a landmine near the Darussalam area in Mogadishu on Thursday amid increased military operations in Somalia.
Radio Shabelle correspondent in the area said the SNA vehicle was ripped through after it drove over a landmine planted on the road. The blast killed and hurt several pedestrians.
No soldier survived, and all six SNA members area dead, according to the witness.
In the aftermath of the roadside explosion, the troops launched an operation that forced local residents to stay indoors, fearing massive arrests during the crackdown.
No group has so far claimed credit for the attack on SNA troops, but police pointed the finger of the blame at Al-Shabaab since the blast bore all hallmarks of the previous attacks.
The Somali government has gained ground in its war with the Islamist insurgency Al-Shabaab, mainly in central Somalia. Most of the progress is due to Mogadishu’s leveraging of local discontent with Al-Shabaab to form alliances with clan militias.
Emboldened by clan backing and foreign support, Mogadishu now aims to send soldiers into Al-Shabaab’s southern strongholds to begin the second phase of the offensive in Somalia.
Somalia’s push marks a breakthrough in a war that has raged for more than fifteen years.
