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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Militant base 'attacked from sea' in Somalia | Militant base 'attacked from sea' in Somalia |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Unidentified foreign forces have launched a night-time raid on a militant base in the south Somali town of Barawe from the sea, reports say. | Unidentified foreign forces have launched a night-time raid on a militant base in the south Somali town of Barawe from the sea, reports say. |
| A spokesman for the al-Shabab Islamist group told Reuters news agency that a fighter had been killed in the raid. | A spokesman for the al-Shabab Islamist group told Reuters news agency that a fighter had been killed in the raid. |
| Reports speak of residents in the militant-controlled town being woken by heavy gunfire before dawn prayers. | Reports speak of residents in the militant-controlled town being woken by heavy gunfire before dawn prayers. |
| Al-Shabab claimed responsibility last month for a deadly attack on a Kenyan shopping mall. | Al-Shabab claimed responsibility last month for a deadly attack on a Kenyan shopping mall. |
| At least 67 people were killed after militants stormed the Westgate mall in the capital, Nairobi, on 21 September. | At least 67 people were killed after militants stormed the Westgate mall in the capital, Nairobi, on 21 September. |
| An unnamed Somali intelligence official told the Associated Press that the targets of Saturday's raid had been "high-profile" foreigners. The source did not say which country had carried out the operation. | |
| Both US and French special forces have carried out raids on coastal targets in Somalia in recent years. | |
| 'Helicopters' | 'Helicopters' |
| There was no immediate comment on Saturday's alleged attack in Barawe from the Western-backed authorities in Somalia. | There was no immediate comment on Saturday's alleged attack in Barawe from the Western-backed authorities in Somalia. |
| According to the Somali news website Midnimo, two helicopters were also involved in the raid. | According to the Somali news website Midnimo, two helicopters were also involved in the raid. |
| "Westerners in boats attacked our base at Barawe beach and one was martyred from our side," Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab, described as al-Shabab's spokesman for military operations, told Reuters by telephone. | "Westerners in boats attacked our base at Barawe beach and one was martyred from our side," Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab, described as al-Shabab's spokesman for military operations, told Reuters by telephone. |
| Another al-Shabab member, named as Abu Mohamed, told AP that "foreign" soldiers had attacked a house in Barawe. | |
| Militants rushed to the scene to capture a foreign soldier but were unsuccessful, he added. | Militants rushed to the scene to capture a foreign soldier but were unsuccessful, he added. |
| Western navies tasked with fighting piracy patrol the seas off Somalia, which has been beset by conflict for more than two decades. | Western navies tasked with fighting piracy patrol the seas off Somalia, which has been beset by conflict for more than two decades. |
| In 2009, US Navy commandos attacked and killed an al-Qaeda leader, Kenyan-born Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan, in a daylight raid on Barawe. | |
| Washington has also used drones in Somalia to support the government and African Union forces in their battle against al-Shabab. | |
| France carried out an unsuccessful raid to free a French intelligence agent in January. Two French commandos were killed and al-Shabab later reported that it had killed the agent. |