MOGADISHU, Somalia – A fierce fighting broke out between Somali army forces backed by Ethiopian forces and al Qaeda linked Al Shabaab.
The fighting flared up when militants armed with machine guns and rocket propelled grenades (RPGs) attacked on the coalition forces’ bases in Garbaharey town in Gedo region.
Somali military official, who asked to be anonymous, says the allied forces warded off the ambush attack carried out by Al Shabaab.
He declined to comment on the casualties.
It is unclear how many were killed in the fighting.
Al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda-linked group, has been fighting for more than ten years in Somalia.
The group wants to overthrow the weak UN-backed government in Somalia and impose its own strict interpretation of Islamic law.
It has lost control of many towns and cities to a 22,000-strong African Union force supporting the government.
But the group still has a strong presence in many rural areas.
