Scores dead as Islamic State attacks military base in Somalia

Nearly 100 radical were killed and up to 60 others wounded erstwhile members of the Islamic State panic radical launched a deadly onslaught connected a subject basal belonging to information forces from Somalia’s Puntland region, officials said Tuesday.

At slightest 27 Puntland soldiers and much than 70 militants were slain successful the fierce warring astir the Togga Jacel country of the Cal Miskaad mountains successful Puntland’s Bari region, Puntland information officials told VOA.

In an interrogation Tuesday with VOA’s Somali Service, a spokesperson for Puntland information operations, Brigadier General Mohamud Mohamed Ahmed — known arsenic Fadhigo — said the militants waged termination attacks connected the subject basal precocious Monday.

“We person confirmed that astatine slightest 27 Puntland soldiers and 70 Islamic State militants, were killed during the onslaught and consequent weapon battle,” Ahmed said.

Ahmed said it was the deadliest onslaught since Puntland launched an violative past period against Islamic State groups that person hideouts successful the mountains.

He said the decease toll from the onslaught could beryllium substantially higher than authoritative figures.

“The decease toll, particularly that of the militants, could beryllium importantly higher than the fig we person provided due to the fact that they were killed successful caves. They were hiding, and we are inactive assessing,” Ahmed said.

According to Puntland information officials, the militants utilizing car bombs and termination motorbikes launched attacks connected the Puntland information basal earlier a fierce gunbattle ensued.

“We knew they were coming arsenic we had anterior quality tip. They attacked america with car bombs and explosives-laden motorbikes, and past dozens of them engaged successful a fierce gunbattle with our soldiers,” Ahmed said.

A connection from the Puntland forces said their troops repulsed the onslaught aimed astatine taking power of the base.

“Puntland information forces person successfully repelled the force attack, and they inactive stay successful their basal successful Togga Jecel, dealing a important stroke to the extremist group,” the connection said.

On Wednesday past week, astir 70 radical were killed, and up to 50 others were wounded, during 24 hours of warring betwixt the 2 sides.

This latest onslaught is the deadliest the Islamic State militants person waged connected Puntland soldiers.

Earlier this month, U.S. warplanes targeted the Islamic State affiliate successful Somalia, hitting what officials described arsenic high-ranking operatives successful the panic group's mountainous stronghold.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced the airstrike connected societal media, describing the main people arsenic a "Senior ISIS Attack Planner and different terrorists helium recruited and led."

Puntland began a large violative against Islamic State successful December and claims to person since killed astir 200 Islamic State fighters, dozens of them overseas fighters, and captured villages and bases successful the mountainous country controlled by IS.

This communicative originated successful VOA's Somali Service. Fadumo Yasin Jama contributed to the report.