Militants storm army base in Puntland

Heavily armed al-Shabab extremists have stormed a military base in Somalia’s semiautonomous State of Puntland, killing close to 70 people and wounding dozens more, officials said on Thursday. Residents said civilians, including women, were beheaded during the rampage.

Officials called it the region’s deadliest attack in years, highlighting the twin challenges facing security forces from the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab and the growing presence of fighters linked to the Islamic State.

The attack began with a blast at the remote Af-Urur camp, roughly 100 km west of the commercial hub of Bossaso, before the extremists overran the base and killed soldiers at close range, said Ahmed Mohamed, a senior military official. Close to 70 people were killed, though an exact toll was not yet available, Mohamed said. Abdi Hersi Ali, Puntland’s Interior Minister, said troops suffered causalities but he declined to give further details.

Chaotic scenes

Residents in the area reported chaotic scenes, with fighters beheading several civilians they encountered. One witness, Abdibasit Hassan, said women were among those beheaded. “The situation is grim over there. This attack was an unexpected one,” Mohamed said. The extremists, including suicide bombers, reportedly attacked the base from three directions.

Col. Hashi Ahmed, a senior military official, told AP that reinforcement troops reached the area and drove the extremists out of the camp. He estimated that at least 100 fighters were involved in the attack.