An attack in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, targeted a military base and resulted in the deaths of four Emirati troops and a Bahraini military officer. Al-Shabab, an Al-Qaeda-linked armed group, claimed responsibility for the attack. The UAE Ministry of Defense announced the deaths of three Emirati troops and a Bahraini soldier, with two others wounded. One of the injured later died upon arrival in Abu Dhabi. The President of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, offered condolences to the UAE. Al-Shabab described the UAE as an “enemy” for its support of the Somali government in combating the group. Al-Shabab has been engaged in conflict with the Somali government and the AU-led peacekeeping mission, seeking to establish an Islamic law-based government. The group has carried out bombings across Somalia, as well as attacks in neighboring Kenya. The UAE has invested in ports in East Africa, including in Somalia, as part of its efforts to secure the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea.
