Mogadishu(Mogadishu24)-Al-Shabaab militants have claimed responsibility for a mortar attack on the heavily fortified headquarters of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and the United Nations in Mogadishu.

Several mortar rounds were reportedly fired at the compound overnight, but Somali police forces and ATMIS have yet to comment on the incident.

The extent of damage or casualties remains unclear, though Al-Shabaab claimed that parts of the Halane green zone were burning until Friday morning. In the past, Somali police have dismissed similar attacks, stating they were carried out using fake bombs disguised in plastic bags, though these incidents have occasionally caused civilian casualties and property damage.

In a separate development, ATMIS announced that its forces conducted a patrol operation in the Lower Shabelle region. “#ATMIS #UPDF troops in Lower Shabelle region have conducted a patrol on the Mogadishu-Buffow-Barawe Main Supply Route (MSR) to ensure safe movement of people & goods. They detonated several Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in Buulnagad, Muuri & Busley, targeting ATMIS convoys and restricting local movement,” ATMIS stated on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday.

The situation remains tense as security forces continue to assess the aftermath of the mortar attacks.