Two African Union soldiers were killed and another wounded Sunday when al-Shabab militants launched a mortar attack on a military base within Mogadishu’s international airport perimeter, Somalia officials confirmed.
Mohamed El-Amine Souef, head of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and Special Representative of the AU Commission Chairperson, condemned the attack on the Halane Base Camp. Sources told VOA’s Horn of Africa service that the casualties were Ugandan soldiers, though official statements did not specify their nationality.
“The heinous attack will not deter us and the Somali security forces from pursuing lasting peace in Somalia,” Souef declared in a statement. “We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to combat terrorism and build a peaceful and prosperous Somalia.”
Military officials reported that attackers fired at least four mortar rounds, likely using a 107mm rocket system. Following the incident, AU senior leadership conducted an inspection of the blast sites.
Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack through its media channels, asserting they had killed both “white and black officers.” Though driven from Mogadishu in 2011, the militant group maintains the capability to launch periodic mortar strikes against the airport complex, which houses both AU forces and foreign diplomatic missions.
The attack demonstrates al-Shabab’s continued ability to threaten high-security zones despite years of counterterrorism efforts. The group’s mortar attacks have previously struck civilian areas in Mogadishu, causing civilian casualties.
ATMIS expressed “deepest sympathies and condolences” to the families of the fallen soldiers and wished a swift recovery to the injured servicemember.
