Somali forces repel al-Shabab attack on Mogadishu outskirts

Somali government forces successfully repelled an al-Shabab attack on an army base just outside Mogadishu on Friday night, according to security sources.

The assault occurred in Elasha Biyaha, approximately 15 kilometers south of the capital, and was followed by intense fighting between the militants and government troops. Both sides reportedly suffered casualties, though the exact numbers remain unclear.

By Saturday morning, the situation in Elasha Biyaha had stabilized, with government forces conducting security operations in the surrounding neighborhoods to ensure the area was secure.

The latest attack comes just weeks after al-Shabab launched assaults on several military bases in the Jubbaland and Galmudug states. In those encounters, Somali forces reportedly inflicted heavy casualties on the militant group.

Al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda-linked extremist group, has been waging an insurgency against the Somali government for over a decade, frequently targeting military installations and civilian populations in their campaign to impose a strict interpretation of Islamic law across the country.