Shabaab ambushes Burundian troops near Leego
Shabaab, al Qaeda’s official branch in Somalia, ambushed a convoy of Burundian troops on a road near the southern town of Leego. The jihadist group released a video highlighting the attack on July 13, but no date was given for when the ambush took place.
The video begins with a message that reads “From the French and those who followed suit, today we sign with the blood of the dogs from the Burundian crusaders. Tomorrow, we will sign with your blood, God willing.” After the short statement, several improvised explosive device (IED) attacks are seen on screen. Some of the vehicles targeted are African Union (AU) armored vehicles, while many others appear to be cargo or transport vehicles for the AU forces.
After the IED attacks, Shabaab official Abdul Qadar Mu’min delivers a short speech before the video cuts to a Shabaab military commander going over the battle plan with several fighters. These jihadists, and many others, are then shown ambushing and targeting the Burundian contingent of AU forces.
Shabaab fighters forced the Burundian troops to retreat. The jihadist group then highlights a number of the AU troops who were killed as well as some of the “spoils” gained in the fighting.
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