MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – A suicide bombing attack claimed by the Al-Qaeda-linked militant group Al-Shabaab that had targeted a military base in the Middle Shabelle region on Friday has sparked suspicion among Somalia’s army, Caasimada Online has reported on Saturday.
The attack has suspended cooperation between army units in the region amid fear raised that it might pit them one another.
“The suicide car bomb that targeted us yesterday bypassed another base housing some of the troops [members of Gorgor special forces], they did not stop the car, they did they fire on it and the vehicle itself continued to the road in a no-traffic area, and the incident has sowed suspicion among us,” said a member of the 4th brigade, speaking to Caasimada Online, after troops staged mutiny over the explosion.
The targeted base was home to soldiers who had opposed an extension of president Farmajo’s term in office and seized control of a number of neighborhoods in the capital Mogadishu in April during clashes between rival factions of the army.
“All of Gorgor [Turkish-trained Somali special forces] members refused to live with our troops in a camp, eat with them and fight alongside us; we have sneaking suspicion on that particular issue, and moreover, the vehicle bypassed their base and we want the incident to be investigated,” he added.
At least 8 soldiers were killed in the blast on Friday and more than 12 others, 4 of them senior commanders wounded. Colonel Saney Abdulle, a commander who deployed his troops in the capital Mogadishu in April, in opposition to an extension of president Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo’s term, is among those wounded in the attack.
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