A US military base used to launch drones and a European military convoy have been hit in separate attacks in Somalia.
A Reuters journalist saw a seriously damaged armoured vehicle bearing a small Italian flag sticker in the capital, Mogadishu, on Monday. It was unclear if there were any casualties.
Italy’s defence ministry said in a statement that an Italian military convoy had been hit by an explosion. No injuries had been reported so far, the ministry said.
Also on Monday, a base operated by US special forces in the town of Baledogle was hit by a bomb attack followed by small arms fire, a security source told Reuters.
The insurgent group al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack.
“In the early hours of Monday morning, an elite unit of soldiers from Harakat al-Shabaab al-Mujahideen Martyrdom Brigade launched a daring raid on the US military base,” the group’s press release said.
“After breaching the perimeters of the heavily fortified base, the mujahideen (holy warriors) stormed the military complex, engaging the crusaders in an intense firefight.”
The base is in the Lower Shabelle region, about 60 miles (100km) west of Mogadishu.
