MOGADISHU - A suspected drone targeted a base belonging to al Qaeda-affiliated al Shabaab insurgents in southern Somalia, killing at least five fighters, police and residents said on Sunday. Al Shabaab was not immediately reachable for comment. It was not known who was behind the aerial strike but the United States has in the past targeted al Shabaab fighters. Al Shabaab have staged many bomb and gun attacks in the capital Mogadishu in its bid to topple Somalia’s Western-backed government and have also hit targets in neighbouring Kenya since Nairobi joined African Union peacekeeping forces in Somalia.–Reuters
Police and residents said that what appeared to be a drone attack took place at Balad Amin, about 30 km to the east of Wanlaweyn in the lower Shabelle region on Saturday night.