Watan-The Somali al-Shabaab movement claimed responsibility for the terrorist attack that occurred at the “General Gourd” base in the capital, Mogadishu, on Saturday, targeting Emirati officers whose mission was to rebuild the Somali army.
On the evening of Saturday, February 10, the UAE Ministry of Defense announced in an urgent statement the killing of 3 Emirati soldiers and a Bahraini officer, with 2 others injured in a terrorist attack they encountered in Somalia, without disclosing further details.
Somalia stated that the “Erdogan Hospital” in Mogadishu received the wounded Emirati officers who were injured in the terrorist attack on the “General Gourd” camp.
Al-Shabaab claims responsibility for the attack resulting in the killing of Emirati officers
The al-Shabaab movement claimed the attack, which resulted in the killing of Emirati officers. According to an alleged statement by al-Shabaab circulated on several Somali social media pages, the movement claimed responsibility for the attack, describing it as an infiltration.
🚨Update: Madaxweyne Xasan Sheekh, ayaa booqasho ku tagay isbitaalka Erdogan ee Muqdisho, halkaa oo la geeyay dhaawaca saraakiisha tabarayaasha ciidan ahaa ee dowlada Imaaraadka ee ku dhaawacmay weerarkii ka dhacay saldhigga Jen. Gordan, iyadoo warar laga helayo saraakiil ku… pic.twitter.com/BddaeSLjdD
— Ahmed Gaashaan (@Ahgaashaan) February 10, 2024
Al-Shabaab stated that the terrorist attack occurred at the largest military base of Emirati forces in Somalia, targeting the command headquarters in the base while more than 20 officers from the UAE were present, along with mercenaries from the West and Africans, according to the statement.
Senior Emirati officers in Somalia
Senior Emirati officers in Somalia were allegedly among the casualties claimed by al-Shabaab, including the training officer, intelligence officer, and logistics and equipment officer, all from the UAE.
Al-Shabaab concluded its statement by claiming that officers working for the UAE, both Westerners and Africans, were killed in the attack.
Reports indicated that a military aircraft belonging to the UAE Air Force landed at Mogadishu Airport to transport the injured officers from the terrorist attack on the “General Gourd” base.
AS armed forces command says it attacked Military camp Gordon, which is run by UAE troops, and killed several UAE military officers along with mercenaries inside the military camp in Moqadishu, according to its statement. pic.twitter.com/eFMCKk6jgR
— Ahmed Saylici (@Adal_empire_) February 10, 2024
Somali President offers condolences to the UAE and vows to pursue the killers
According to the official Somali news agency “SONNA”, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud offered condolences to the UAE during his visit to the hospital that received the wounded Emirati officers from the terrorist attack on the General Gourd camp.
The Somali President stated, “We offer our condolences to the government and people of the UAE who lost their soldiers in the terrorist attack in Mogadishu.” He added that “these officers came to our country to participate in rebuilding the Somali Armed Forces.”
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud strongly condemned the act that led to the deaths of these officers, affirming that they “dedicated their time for the Somali people and government.” He called on the relevant authorities to immediately investigate the incident.
He added, “We are grateful to the government and people of the United Arab Emirates for their continuous support in rebuilding and developing Somalia, and we will remember the role they played in our country during this difficult time.”
تعلن وزارة الدفاع عن استشهاد 3 من منتسبي #القوات_المسلحة_الإماراتية وضابط من قوة دفاع #البحرين وإصابة 2 آخرين إثر تعرضهم لعمل إرهابي في جمهورية الصومال الشقيقة، أثناء أدائهم مهام عملهم في تدريب وتأهيل القوات المسلحة الصومالية، والتي تندرج ضمن الاتفاقية الثنائية بين دولة #الإمارات… pic.twitter.com/ah2WfinSaj
— وكالة أنباء الإمارات (@wamnews) February 10, 2024
First UAE comment on the attack on its base in Somalia
The official UAE news agency reported the first official comment from the UAE on the attack, quoting the Ministry of Defense announcing the killing of 3 UAE Armed Forces personnel and an officer from the Bahrain Defense Force in this terrorist attack in Somalia.
Additionally, 2 others were injured due to “being exposed to a terrorist act in the sisterly Republic of Somalia while performing their duties in training and rehabilitating the Somali Armed Forces, which falls under the bilateral agreement between the UAE and the Republic of Somalia within the framework of military cooperation between the two countries,” according to the statement reviewed by (Watan).