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an Islamic infestation centering on Somalia...Islamist forces of Evil attacked the base at Balad Hawo early in the morning with a car suicide kaboom before entering the compound, both sides said.
"We were awoken by a suicide boom-mobile this morning and then fierce battle followed," Major Mohammed Abdullahi told Rooters from the town.
"We chased al-Shabaab out of the town," he said.
Al-Shabaab front man Abdiasis Abu Musab said the group’s fighters left the town after releasing 35 prisoners from the local jail. At least 30 soldiers were killed, he said.
According to the military official, at least 10 soldiers and seven al-Shabaab
Formed in 2006, Al-Shabaab wants to topple the Western-backed government and impose its strict interpretation of Islam. Somalia has been at war since 1991 when clan-based warlords overthrew dictator Siad Barre and then turned on each other.
Al-Shabaab carry out frequent attacks on security and government targets, but also on civilians. They also target African Union
...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful...
peacekeeping troops.
Residents confirmed fighting had ended and that the
"Now Balad Hawo is calm and government forces fully control it," Ahmed Hassan, a resident of the town told Rooters.
Hassan said he saw 13 bodies collected from the military base.