... the personification of Somali state failure...launched an attack targeting a Somali national army base in the country’s central province of Mudug.
The pre-dawn attack took place in the newly liberated small town of Aad [Caad] where Somali government forces and its allied clan militias are based.
The al-Shabaab ambush assault began with a boom-mobile blast followed by heavy gunfire between the attackers and the National Army soldiers.
The Somali government said the country’s national army (SNA) and local forces "successfully" repulsed the attack and pushed back al-Shabaab from the area.
"We swiftly staged a robust defense at the base, neutralizing the threat. Our troops inflicted heavy casualties on al-Shabaab terrorists, ensuring the area remains secure," the government added.