Djibouti’s president has condemned an attack on a military base in Mogadishu that Somali and Emirati authorities said left several people dead and which was claimed by the Al Shabaab insurgent group.
“We strongly condemn Saturday’s attack on a military base in Mogadishu. Targeting trainees exposes Al Shabaab’s weakness. Djibouti stands with Somalia in restoring security across its territory through the Somali people’s determination,” Ismail Omar Guelleh said in a post on X.
The attack on the Gordan camp left at least five people, including four Emirati troops and a Bahraini military officer, dead, according to multiple news outlets and officials.
The bodies of the four Emiratis were transported to Abu Dhabi on Sunday on board a military aircraft belonging to the UAE’s army.
They were named by the official Emirati news agency WAM as colonel Mohamed Al Mansouri, warrant officer 1 Mohamed Al Shamsi, warrant officer 1 Khalifa Al Balushi, and corporal Suleiman Al Shehhi.
WAM said the deceased troops had been based in Mogadishu to train Somali government forces as part of a bilateral agreement between the United Arab Emirates and Somalia.
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud offered his condolences to the UAE.
Al Shabaab claimed it killed more troops than officials confirmed in the attack, which was reportedly carried out by one of the soldiers being trained on the base.
