THE troop death toll from an al-Shabaab attack on an African Union base in Somalia over the weekend has gone up to eight, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, said on Tuesday.

The African Union Mission in Somalia had earlier said that four of its soldiers, all Ugandan nationals, had been killed in the attack by the militant group in the South-western Lower Shabelle region.

However, Museveni gave a different figure on Twitter.

“Unfortunately, two vehicles of the enemy entered one of the three sites attacked. One vehicle was detonated and killed eight of our soldiers. May their souls rest in eternal peace. I extend condolences to their families,’’ he said.

The AU mission has said al-Shabaab suffered heavy losses, losing at least 30 of their militants.

The al-Qaeda-linked group, which is seeking to establish an Islamist state in Somalia, regularly launches attacks on government buildings, hotels and restaurants in the volatile nation in the Horn of Africa.

In October, more than 500 people were killed when a suicide bomber detonated a truck full of explosives in the capital.

Since that attack, the deadliest ever in Somalia, President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, had vowed to eradicate al-Shabaab.

The AU has had a large peacekeeping mission to Somalia since 2007, with troops from Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and other countries. (dpa/NAN)

– Apr. 3, 2018 @ 13:59 GMT

AE