Al-Shabab kill two African Union soldiers in attack near Mogadishu airport

Two African Union (AU) soldiers were killed and another was injured in a mortar attack by al-Shabab on Sunday at the Halane Base Camp near Mogadishu’s airport, according to Voice of America.

Despite the assault, Mohamed El-Amine Souef, head of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), emphasized their resolve to continue supporting Somalia’s peace efforts. 

“This heinous attack will not deter us or Somali security forces from pursuing lasting peace,” he stated on X, reaffirming their commitment to combat terrorism and foster stability in Somalia.

Al-Shabab, an extremist group linked to Al Qaeda, was expelled from Somalia’s capital in 2011 but sporadically targets the airport, which hosts an AU base and various embassies.

The soldiers killed in Sunday’s attack were believed to be Ugandans. Uganda contributes a significant portion of the AU forces in Somalia and has faced considerable losses in the mission.

AU troops have been operating in Somalia since 2007. Comprising soldiers from Uganda, Burundi, and Ethiopia, the mission was established to support Somali forces in fighting al-Shabab.

ATMIS is set to conclude its mission on December 31. Egypt has offered to send peacekeepers to support Somali security forces after the AU withdrawal, but concerns remain that this may be insufficient, potentially leading to increased violence in Somalia.