Unidentified foreign forces have launched a night-time raid on a militant base in the south Somali town of Barawe from the sea, reports say.
A spokesman for theย al-Shababย Islamist group told Reuters news agency that a fighter had been killed in the raid.
Reports speak of residents in the militant-controlled town being woken by heavy gunfire before dawn prayers.
Al-Shabab claimed responsibility last month for a deadly attack on aย Kenyan shopping mall.
At least 67 people were killed after militants stormed the Westgate mall in the capital, Nairobi, on 21 September.
‘Helicopters’
There was no immediate comment on Saturday’s alleged attack in Barawe from the Western-backed authorities inย Somalia.
According to the Somali news website Midnimo, two helicopters were also involved in the raid.
“Westerners in boats attacked our base at Barawe beach and one was martyred from our side,” Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab, described asย al-Shabab’s spokesman for military operations, told Reuters by telephone.
Anotherย al-Shababย member, named as Abu Mohamed, told the Associated Press that “foreign” soldiers had attacked a house in Barawe.
Militants rushed to the scene to capture a foreign soldier but were unsuccessful, he added.
Western navies tasked with fighting piracy patrol the seas offย Somalia, which has been beset by conflict for more than two decades.
The US military has used drones inย Somaliaย to support the government and African Union forces in their battle againstย al-Shabab.
France has also intervened militarily on occasion, carrying out an unsuccessful commando raid to free a French intelligence agent in January. Two French commandos were killed andย al-Shababย later reported that it had killed the agent.-standardmedia.co.ke
