The Somali army killed five members of al-Shabab fighters in an operation in the southern region of Lower Shabelle, a military officer said on Thursday.
Somali force commander, Abdihamid Mohamed Dirir told journalists that the army launched an attack on a base used by al-Shabab in villages between Janale and Qoryoley towns and inflicted casualties.
“The offensive happened successfully. There was a confrontation between the militants and the army. But the forces defeated them, killing 5 of them,” Dirii said.
He added that the forces will maintain the offensives until the army drives the militants out of the whole region.
Government forces have intensified operations against al-Shabab extremists in central and southern Somalia, but the group still hold swaths of rural areas in those regions, conducting ambushes and planting land mines.
