Al-Shabab Rebels Attack Sierra Leone soldiers on AMISOM …Defence Ministry Says “No Idea”

Awareness Times
Wednesday, June 26, 2013

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Reports monitored from East Africa and the international media indicate that personnel of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF), representing the country in a peace-keeping mission in Somalia, are in serious difficulty, following a deadly attack launched by Al-Shabab militants over the weekend.

Heavy artilleries hit bases belonging to the Sierra Leone troops in the lower Juba regions as Al-Shabab troops attacked the new AMISOM peace keeping force in the lower Juba region of Somalia, the international media has reported.

According to reports, the AMISOM bases in Taabto were attacked by Al-Shabab fighters with RPGs on the night of Sunday 23rd June 2013.

Taabto residents told journalists that they heard deafening sounds during the attacks followed by gunfire battles.

The casualties resulting from the attacks have not yet been confirmed.

Al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for the attacks as it was reportedly posted in Al-Shabab’s website.

The international media further reported that Al-Shabab have lately directed their attacks on foreign peace keeping troops from Kenya and Sierra Leone in the lower Juba region of Somalia.

As all of this is happening, the Defence Ministry in Sierra Leone has not uttered a word. When contacted by the Awareness Times newspaper last night, the Director of Communications in the Ministry of Defence, Captain Yayah Brima, said he was not aware of the incident, as according to him, he was busy attending meetings throughout yesterday.

He however promised to follow up and get back to the public by today.

It could be recalled that the Al-Shabab Militants issued threats to attack and wipe out the Sierra Leone battalion even before the troops left for Somalia. They further warned of reprisal attacks if the country ventures to send peace keepers in that troubled land.

The Defence Ministry was quick to verbally respond to those threats by assuring the general public that there was no cause for alarm as everything was under control.

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