A powerful explosion followed by gunfire shook the Jale Siyad military base in Mogadishu on Wednesday, in what the militant group Al Shabaab described as a suicide bombing targeting Western trainers stationed at the facility.

Eyewitnesses reported thick smoke and chaos inside the base. “We heard a sudden blast, then gunfire erupted from inside,” said Ahmed Nur, a local bus driver who was passing by the site.

While Somalia’s Ministry of Defence has yet to confirm casualties, Al Shabaab claimed the attack resulted in deaths, though it provided no specifics. Reuters was unable to independently verify the group’s statement.

The Jale Siyad base, a key training site for Somali National Army recruits, has been repeatedly targeted. In 2023, a suicide bomber killed 25 soldiers, and in May 2025, another attack outside the nearby Damanyo base left 10 young recruits dead.

Al Shabaab, which has waged an insurgency since 2007, continues to launch deadly attacks despite suffering battlefield losses. The group has regained influence in rural strongholds, even as Somali forces—backed by international partners—struggle to reclaim territory.

The bombing comes amid growing uncertainty over Somalia’s security framework. A downsized African Union peacekeeping mission replaced a larger force earlier this year, but its funding remains precarious, with the United States opposing a transition to a UN-financed model.

Security analysts warn that the reduction in peacekeeping capacity, coupled with budget shortfalls, could embolden militant groups and undermine recent gains.

The Somali government has pledged to intensify counterterrorism operations, but civilian confidence in the state’s ability to protect key infrastructure is waning.

Meanwhile, Al Shabaab’s media wing continues to frame its attacks as resistance against foreign influence, particularly targeting Western military advisors and training programs.

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