Hiiraan Online
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
Mogadishu (HOL) - Alshabaab militants have attacked the Somali presidential palace for the second time this year after launching a major bomb attack and an armed assault this evening. Four members of the Islamist militant group entered the heavily fortified Presidential compound. The four militant’s entry into this fortified compound was facilitated by a member of the Security personnel at Villa Somalia, the militants were also assisted in hiding their weapons on the premises before the attack according to a confidential source
When the militants entered the Presidential compound they were met by Somali security forces who engaged them in a fierce battle but the President, Hassan Mohamud Sheikh, had already left by that time accompanied by AMISOM and Somali forces for Iftar at the Halane compound. It is not clear whether or not the Prime Minister and the Speaker of Parliament were in the compound at the time of the attack but early information suggests that they were. Live twitter feeds from those trapped inside the Presidential compound suggest that the Prime Minister was definitely inside Villa Somalia at the time of the attack but this cannot be independently verified at present.
AlShabaab had already threatened to escalate the attacks on the Somali government and its institutions during Ramadan and this came a few days after the suicide car bomb attack on the Parliament which killed at least four people and injured many more.
Al shabaab immediately claimed responsibility for the attack and Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab, the Al Shabaab spokesman, celebrated the attack which was brought to an end eventually by the Special Somali Forces named the Alpha Group who had engaged in a lengthy gun battle with the Alshabaab fighters inside the many areas of the Presidential compound.
"We have entered the so-called presidential palace. We have now captured some parts of the palace and fighting is still going on," Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab told the Reuters news agency as the gun battle between his foot soldiers and the Somali armed forced raged on in the compound.
A twitter message from the official Villa Somalia twitter account stated that the attack was a “shameful attack by Al Shabaab on Villa Somalia in the holy month of Ramadan” but that the attack has been foiled.
Witnesses stated that heavy gunfire and blasts could be heard from within the compound and this is thought to be from grenades but it is not clear which side used what.
“It was total chaos and frightening. Bullets were flying from outside Villa Somalia and people were scattering out of entrance they could,” said witness who did not want to be named.
“AlShabaab have really made a statementtoday but it is the wrong one and the Somali government troops have shown they can fight back,” said another witness who again did not want to be named for fear of reprisals from AlShabaab.
In another incident AlShabaab attacked a military base in the industrial road (Jidka Warshadaha) known as the Industrial Street. This came to an end when the Somali soldiers at the base resisted and fought back.
Al Shabaab have used exactly the same tactics as they did in the first attack of this year in February on the Presidential Palace. There is still no officially confirmed casualty list or numbers on both sides at each incident.
HOL English News Desk