BREAKING NEWS

Al Shabaab kills 8 officers in Somali police station raid

By REUTERS

JUNE 20, 2015 12:09

Updated: JUNE 20, 2015 12:16

MOGADISHU - Gunmen from the Somali Islamist group al Shabaab killed at least eight officers in a raid on a police station near the capital, police and the militants said on Saturday.

Al Shabaab fighters at about 1:00 a.m. local time stormed a police station on the edge of Afgoi town, 30 km southwest of Mogadishu, killing eight officers and stealing three pickup trucks, including one that had a machine gun mounted on it.

"Al Shabaab killed eight of my colleagues and took three of our cars last night," Major Abdikadir Hussein, a police officer told Reuters from Afgoi. "We traced them this morning, killed 10 of them and secured our pick up car with a gun hooked on," he added, saying the Islamists ran off with the other two vehicles.

Al Shabaab, which wants to topple a Western-backed government in Mogadishu, has in the past stepped up the number of raids during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which began on Wednesday.

The group's military operations spokesman, Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab, told Reuters his fighters had killed 12 officers in the raid on the Afgoi police station and lost one gunman in the second battle. "This morning the police attacked us and after a fighting we burnt a police car. We left the pickup car we had taken. One fighter martyred from our side," he said.

In the past, al Shabaab has exaggerated the number of soldiers it has killed, while officials have played down losses.

ABC News: Israel targeted air defense system for Iran nuclear site

By MAARIV ONLINE

04/19/2024 07:19 PM

Israeli drones caused no damage or casualties in Isfahan- Iran FM

By REUTERS

04/19/2024 07:13 PM

Drone explodes in Metula, without sirens sounding - report

By MAARIV ONLINE

04/19/2024 07:12 PM

IDF strikes Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF