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Monday February 12, 2024
Bodies of three United Arab Emirates soldiers arrive home after an al Shabaab attack on a military training camp in Somalia on Saturday, February 11, 2024.
Image: UAE DEFENCE MINISTRY
Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has condemned an al Shabaab attack on a military camp in Mogadishu that claimed the lives of three United Arab Emirates soldiers and a Bahraini military officer.
In a statement on Sunday, Duale said he joins the government of Somalia and that of the UAE in condemning the attack which he termed as cowardly.
“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,” Duale said.
Al Shabaab launched the attack on Saturday on UAE-run General Gordon Camp in Mogadishu, Somalia.
Bodies of the dead soldiers were Sunday airlifted to the UAE following the attack.
One of the soldiers had sustained injuries in the attack and but he died later while en route to the Emirates.
A senior UAE Air Force personnel, Colonel Muhammad Mubarak Al-Mansoori, who was the head of the training mission, was said to be among the dead.
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud offered his condolences to the UAE for the loss of its troops.
Duale commended the efforts of the gallant soldiers who lost their lives in the attack.
“On behalf of the Ministry of Defence, Kenya, I wish to express our solidarity with the two countries during this difficult time,” he said.
He expressed confidence in the resilience of the people of UAE to rise from the attack and continue in the efforts to degrade terrorism.
“We stand by the African Transition Mission in Somalia in our resolve to degrade and neutralise the al Shabaab terrorists,” he said.
Al Shabaab has remained capable of carrying out attacks in Somalia and nearby countries despite a long-running African Union offensive against the Islamist terrorist group.
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