04 March, 2016
The Al-Shabab terror group continued its latest offensive in Somalia on Tuesday.
Witnesses and officials say 16 people died and at least 10 others were wounded in attacks.
Four government soldiers died when a land mine exploded outside Mogadishu. They were part of a convoy of three vehicles going from Mogadishu to Afgoye. The explosion hurt two other soldiers.
At least five others were killed in fights between Al-Shabab militants and local security forces in Somalia's central Galmudug region.
The Galmudug forces attacked an Al-Shabab base in El-Abdi village, 60 kilometers north of Harardhere.
The regional security minister said his troops attacked the Al-Shabab fighters because they were threatening villagers and asking for money. Al-Shabab blocked the villagers' access to water wells.
A spokesman for the southeastern part of Somalia said seven Al-Shabab militants were killed during a battle 40 kilometers west of Kismayo.
The security forces in Kismayo said they launched the attack after learning there were Al-Shabab forces in the area.
The battles are only the most recent in a string of clashes between Somali security forces and Al-Shabab.
Over the weekend and into Monday, Al-Shabab killed at least 30 people by car bombs and suicide attacks. The attacks came in the city of Baidoa as people watched an English soccer game on television.
Al-Shabab took responsibility for two explosions in Mogadishu last week. The blasts combined to kill 25 people and wound 60 others.
I'm Dan Friedell.
VOA's Somali language service reported on this story. Dan Friedell adapted the report for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor.
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Words in This Story
convoy – n. a group of vehicles or ships that are traveling together usually for protection