World leaders condemn Al-Shabaab attack that killed 4 in Mogadishu, promise support

Several countries, among them Kenya, Djibouti and Turkey, have condemned the Al-Shabaab attack on the UAE-run General Gordon Camp in Mogadishu and pledged support for Somalia in the fight against the terrorists.

The attack on Saturday left four Emirati soldiers and a Bahraini officer dead. Al-Shabaab, a terror group affiliated with Al-Qaeda, has waged a violent insurgency against Somalia, attacking the central government and its supporters for more than 15 years.

Kenya's Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale issued his statement on Sunday, condoling with victims' families and commending those who lost their lives in the line of duty.

Duale termed the attack unfortunate and cowardly but expressed confidence that the UAE and its people will rise from the attack and continue their efforts to combat terrorism.

"On behalf of the Ministry of Defence, Kenya, I wish to express our solidarity with the two countries during this difficult time. As the Ministry of Defence, we stand by the African Transition Mission in Somalia in our resolve to degrade and neutralise the Al-Shabaab terrorists," he said.

"My prayers and sincere sympathies go out to the families and friends of all those who died in the unfortunate attack as well as to those who were injured or otherwise affected. I wish them a speedy recovery."

What happened

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) personnel had been training soldiers from the Somali Armed Forces as part of an agreement between the UAE and Somalia, the UAE Defence ministry said in a statement.

The countries signed a military and security cooperation agreement in January 2023.

Security agencies said the attack was conducted by a lone jihadist - a newly trained Somali soldier who had defected from Al-Shabaab. He is alleged to have opened fire on UAE trainers and Somali military officials when they started praying at the camp.

"The shooting was carried out by a member of the army who stayed in the camp. He was killed in the shooting," a senior Somali army official told AFP. The source spoke on condition of anonymity as he is not allowed to discuss sensitive security matters.

Following the attack, the UAE said it would work with Somalia on investigations.

In its statement, the UAE said, "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC) affirmed that the UAE expresses its strong condemnation of these criminal acts and its permanent rejection of all forms of violence, extremism and terrorism aimed at undermining security and stability in contravention of human values and principles."

Rebuilding Somalia

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud sent his condolences "to the government and the people of the United Arab Emirates over the death of the military officers in Mogadishu who came to assist in rebuilding the Somali army".

"We condemn in our strongest terms this heinous act in which these officers were killed. I have instructed an urgent investigation on the matter," he said in a post on X.

Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh also issued a statement, saying, "We strongly condemn Saturday's attack on a military base in Mogadishu. Targeting trainees, Al Shabaab's weakness. Djibouti stands with Somalia in restoring security across its territory through the Somali people's determination."

A statement by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, "We are deeply saddened by the loss of military personnel, who have been serving to contribute to the security of Somalia, as a result of the terrorist attack that took place yesterday (February 10) in Mogadishu. We extend our condolence to the peoples of Somalia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain."

ATMIS drawdown

Meanwhile, the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) recently handed over seven forward operating bases to the internationally-backed government and shut two others, as part of a troops drawdown.

It has completed the second phase of a drawdown involving 3,000 troops has been completed after a four-month delay. The first two phases of the withdrawal saw a reduction of 5,000 soldiers while the third, expected in June, will involve 4,000.

ATMIS was given a more offensive remit when it took over in April 2022 from a predecessor force known as AMISOM, set up in 2007 to support the fragile Somali government against the jihadist insurrection.

Some 14,600 members drawn from Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda are still deployed in Somalia. These are some of the countries that have contributed troops under the African Union Mission In Somalia (AMISOM).

Al-Shabaab was driven out of Somalia's main towns and cities over 2011-2012 but retains power in large swathes of rural areas.

Additional reporting by AFP