(17-09-23) MOGADISHU — Heavy fighting erupted in Somalia’s Bakool region near the town of Rabdhure on Sunday, as Ethiopian military forces were ambushed by Al-Shabaab militants. The clash began after two consecutive Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (VBIEDs) were detonated, according to local reports.
Somali authorities confirmed incidents of fighting in Rabdhure and another unspecified location within Bakool. Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attacks and said they had killed 167 soldiers from the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF), taken others prisoner, and seized weapons and ammunition. There has been no comment from the Ethiopian government.
Residents in the region reported hearing ongoing gunfire and indicated that the number of casualties could be high, though exact numbers have yet to be confirmed.
The ENDF convoy was reportedly en route to Waajid when the ambush occurred, raising concerns about the security situation in a region already plagued by the ongoing insurgency.
Bakool is one of the strongholds of the Al-Shabaab group; however, government and Ethiopian forces are also present in the area as part of the ATMIS operation. Both Somali and Ethiopian forces are engaged in a counter-operation to neutralise the militant threat.
