Members of the al-Shabaab militant group surrendered to African Union peacekeeping forces (AMISOM) in Mogadishu's latest fighting between pro-government forces and the hardline Islamic group.
In the second day of fighting the Somali capital, all sides - al-Shabaab battling Transitional Federal Government (TFG), AMISOM, and Ahu Sunna Wal Jamaa forces - claimed victory over the fighting.
Sheikh Abdi-aziz Abu Mus’ab, an al-Shabaab spokesman, told Somalia Report that their forces fiercely resisted what he described as “an offensive from allied enemy."
“They sustained heavy casualties and we destroyed one of their tanks. We also confiscated their weapons,” said Abu Mus’ab.
In contrast, AMISOM Spokesman Puddy Akunda told Somalia Report that al-Shabaab has been badly defeated and has lost many of their fighters who surrendered or were killed or wounded. He also confirmed the militants burned one of their tanks.
“More than 40 al-Shabaab fighters who surrendered to AMISOM-TFG forces are with us and are being treated well,” said the spokesman.
Major Akunda described the latest AMISOM-TFG offensive as a “short tactical operation” to allow aid agencies to deliver relief supplies to drought-stricken Somalis who have flooded into the capital in recent weeks.
As of late Friday night, TFG and AMISOM forces are advancing into Mogadishu Stadium, a main stronghold of al-Shabaab, and sporadic gunshots and shelling can be heard in the area.
The renewed fighting comes after 11 people were killed in Mogadishu on Thursday during heavy shelling between all sides.