AU forces kill 3 al-Shabab militants in foiled attack in Somalia

The AU mission said 20 heavily armed al-Shabab terrorists from different directions launched a dawn attack on Jubaland Security Forces stationed in Bilis Qooqani but the late-night attack was repelled by the AU forces, killing three and arresting several terrorists in the process.

It said several AK 47 rifles and rounds of ammunition were recovered from al-Shabab extremists who were neutralized during the foiled attack.

"At about 0030 hrs, Jubaland Security Forces stationed in Bilis Qooqani were attacked by about 20 al-Shabab terrorists from three different directions. Our Bilis Qooqani defense points immediately responded by dispatching one platoon to support our Somali counterparts," Paul Njema, AMISOM sector 2 commander said in a statement issued on Saturday evening.

"Three al-Shabab militants were killed and several others wounded during the attack which was successfully repelled," Njema said.

He said the two Jubaland forces wounded in the ensuing battle are currently receiving treatment at the AMISOM military base in Bilis Qooqani.

Sector two is the southernmost AMISOM frontline sector based in the border town of Dhobley which sits across the common border between Somalia and Kenya. The sector is manned by Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) who have forward operating bases in ten other towns apart from Bilis Qooqani which came under attack.