Somali militants say 'Western' forces attack coastal base from beach

MOGADISHU - Reuters

Somali Islamist militants said on Oct. 5 "Western" forces attacked a house in one of its coastal bases in the town of Barawe under the cover of dark, killing one rebel fighter.

Foreign forces landed on the beach at Barawe, about 180 km south of Mogadishu, and launched an assault that drew gunfire from rebel fighters, Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab, spokesman for al Shabaab's military operations, told Reuters.

"Westerners in boats attacked our base at Barawe beach and one was martyred from our side," Musab said.

One Barawe resident said he had heard a gunbattle during the night.

It was not immediately clear why the Barawe base had been targeted specifically, nor whether the assault was related to the attack on a Kenyan mall two weeks ago, which the al Qaeda-linked group said it carried out and which killed at least 67.

Western navies are patrolling the waters off the Horn of Africa nation - mired in conflict for more than two decades - and have in the past launched strikes on the shore from warships.

No foreign military units typically involved in such operations in Somalia have claimed responsibility for the strike.