Mogadishu, Aug. 21 – Several mortar shells landed overnight on the Hiilweyne military base, a Somali National Army outpost positioned on the main road between Mogadishu and Bal’ad, residents and security officials said Thursday.
The base is considered sensitive; senior federal officials have visited it in recent years. Local people in nearby villages said they were jolted from sleep by blasts that echoed for several minutes.
“We heard repeated explosions coming from the camp area,” one resident told Shabelle Media by phone. “It is likely Al-Shabaab, they move around this district at night.”
Initial reports indicated no casualties. The army had not released a statement by mid-morning, but Al-Shabaab issued a claim of responsibility through its channels.
The strike comes amid heightened militant activity across Middle Shabelle. In May, mortars hit the same base, killing three new army recruits. Security officials say the insurgents are trying to pressure outposts on the northern approaches to Mogadishu as African Union forces scale back operations.
