Al-Shabaab releases photos of Ceel la-helay attack, Somali gov't tight-lipped on the losses

Visits: 1647
(Rating 0.0/5 Stars) Total Votes: 0
0 0
Share via Social Media

Al-Shabaab releases photos of Ceel la-helay attack, Somali gov't tight-lipped on the losses

GALKACYO (HORN OBSERVER) – The Somali government has remained tight-lipped about the extent of the damage caused by the recent clashes and bombings orchestrated by Al-Shabaab in the village of El La-Helay (Ceel la-helay) in the Galgaduud region

Share

Heavily-armed Al-Shabaab attacked the small rural village of Ceel la-helay in Galgaduud region on Friday.

GALKACYO (HORN OBSERVER) – The Somali government has remained tight-lipped about the extent of the damage caused by the recent clashes and bombings orchestrated by Al-Shabaab in the village of El La-Helay (Ceel la-helay) in the Galgaduud region on September 15.

Local media outlets have been unable to access the scene of the incident, and even the few journalists reporting remotely are facing threats that deter them from revealing the full truth to the public.

In contrast, Al-Shabaab has released purported images from the skirmish that occurred in El La-Helay, approximately 50 km from Dhusamareb, the capital of Galmudug State.

The extremist group claimed responsibility for the deaths of 71 soldiers, including those from the American-trained Danab unit.

They also asserted to have seized military vehicles and weapons during the confrontation.

However, these claims lack independent confirmation, and Al-Shabaab has not disclosed any casualties on their side.

Over the past few hours, social media platforms have been inundated with messages of condolence from individuals mourning the loss of their family members who fell victim to the attack in El La-Helay.

The victims comprise both government forces and clan militia members aligned with the government in their battle against Al-Shabaab.

A security source in Dhusamareb has reported that government forces, who temporarily retreated from El La Helay village following the Friday attack, have returned to the area and initiated patrol operations on Saturday.

In a disconcerting development, Al-Shabaab claims to have captured 8 military vehicles, including 3 belonging to the national intelligence (NISA) and 5 associated with the Dududle clan militia, during the El La-Helay assault.

The current situation in El La-Helay is reported to be stable as of Saturday.

Concurrently, Galmudug President Ahmed Qorqor has been airlifted to Mogadishu, where it has been confirmed that he sustained minor injuries during a vehicle-borne suicide attack carried out by Al-Shabaab while he was visiting the frontline village of Laaso Gacamey in the Mudug region on Friday morning.

The regional President Ahmed Qorqor, Senator Abdi Qeybdiid, and Lower House MP Abdisalan Haji Dhabancad, all of whom suffered injuries, are currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Mogadishu.

The whereabouts of Minister of Defense Abdiqadir Mohamed Nur Jama, who left Eel La-helay shortly before the attack, remain unconfirmed, with uncertainty prevailing over whether he is presently in Mogadishu or elsewhere.