African Union (AU) chairperson Moussa Faki condemned an attack by Al-Shabab militants on a military base in central Somalia where AU peacekeepers are stationed, reported The BBC. The base is located some 130km (80 miles) northeast of the capital, Mogadishu.
The Al-Shabab militants issued a statement claiming responsibility for the assault and saying it had killed dozens of Burundian soldiers. The militant group claimed that more than 170 soldiers were killed in the attack and that they have taken complete control of the AU base.
In a statement, Mr. Faki paid tribute to the Burundian peacekeepers who lost their lives helping to bring peace and stability to Somalia.
He extended his sincere condolences to the bereaved families and wished a speedy recovery to the wounded as a result of the attack.
Mr. Faki said the “attack will not lessen the determination” of the AU force deployed in Somalia. He reaffirmed the continued and unwavering commitment of the African body to support the Somali Government and people in their pursuit to achieve sustainable peace and security.
He further called on the international community to increase support to the Somali security services and the ATMIS mission commensurate with the security challenges at hand.
Mr. Faki has also had a phone call with Burundi’s president to pay respects to the sacrifice of the Burundi peacekeepers.
Notably, Al-Shabaab has been waging a deadly insurgency against Somalia’s fragile central government for more than a decade. The militant group controlled Mogadishu until 2011 when they were pushed out by the AU force. But they still hold territory in the countryside and frequently attack civilian, military, and government targets in Mogadishu and outside.
The latest assault comes less than a week after the Somali Parliament elected new speakers for the upper and lower houses, a crucial step on the path toward a long-delayed presidential vote.
