AMISOM forces have recovered an armoured bulldozer after it caught fire whilst clearing routes across the insurgents’ trench system during operations in Bondere district yesterday.

Operating right on the front line, armoured bulldozers assist AMISOM forces to repair roads, cut by the Al Qaeda linked extremists, as they push forward and take new ground.

The trenches have been dug by the insurgents to provide protected resupply routes close to AMISOM positions and to prevent AMISOM vehicles from advancing.  Some are dug under the road so that armoured vehicles fall through the undisturbed surface unexpectedly.  Trench systems can be as long as 1.5kms long, and require engineer expertise to breach. AMISOM are supported by UNMAS in this task.

Yesterday afternoon, as an engineer bulldozer was clearing a route across a trench during operations in Bondere, it was struck and set alight by small arms fire and became trapped in the trench it was clearing.  AMISOM deployed troops forward to engage the insurgents and push them back to ease recovery of the vehicle. No tank was damaged or lost.

The bulldozer has been safely recovered and is being serviced for a return to operations.

ENDS

Pictures attached:

UNMAS Engineer bulldozer at work with AMISOM (African Union Mission in Somalia) on the frontline in Mogadishu, Somalia protected by an AMISOM tank.

Open trench dug by extremists across a road in Mogadishu, Somalia

Trench closed by UNMAS engineer bulldozer in Mogadishu, Somalia