Al-Shabaab attack army base in Somalia, hours after hotel siege

At least 10 people were killed in an al-Shabaab attack on an army base in south-west Somalia, officials said on Monday.

The attack on the base in Baidoa, claimed by the militant group on their Radio Andalus, comes a day after they stormed a beach hotel in capital Mogadishu.
The base attack started with an attempted suicide car bombing at the entrance followed by a heavy exchange of fire between the militants and government troops, leaving at least 10 dead from both sides, Somali military commander Yonis Hassan told dpa.

“Our soldiers are now in full control of the base after repelling the militants and killed seven fighters. Three Somali soldiers have also been killed in the attack,” added Hassan.

Several others were wounded on both sides, he said.

The incident comes hours after the attack on a luxury hotel in Mogadishu where at least 17 people, among them five militants, were killed.