9 people killed in Al-Shabaab attack on Somalian government offices

onnaedo

March 12, 2015 6:45 PM

Reports say the Islamic militants who were clothed in military uniforms attacked the house of the former Somali parliament speaker and current president of the newly established southwest regional administration.

At least 9 people have been reported dead following an attack by Al-Shabaab on government offices in Somalia, CNN reports.

The attack began when a car bomb detonated at the gate of the state palace in Baidoa city.

Heavy gunfire then broke out between Somali troops backed by Ethiopian forces inside the house of the regional president, Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden. 7 Ethiopian soldiers were reportedly killed.

Somali police officer, Col. Mahad Abdi saidexplosions and gunfire were still going on over an hour after the initial assault.

The African Union's special representative for Somalia, Ambassador Maman S. Sidikou, condemned the attack, saying it had targeted troops who have worked to restore peace to Baidoa.

"These are desperate attempts by Al-Shabaab to seek relevance, following the massive defeats they continue to suffer from the Somali National Army working together with AMISOM troops," he said.

Al-Shabaab started with a goal of waging a war against the Somali government in an effort to implement a stricter form of Sharia but has since shifted focus to terrorist attacks in Somalia and beyond and recently called for attacks on shopping malls in Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States.

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