Hiiraan Online
Wednesday August 22, 2018
Mogadishu (HOL) - Five Al-Shabaab militants were killed in a fierce fighting with the Somali National Army (SNA) on Tuesday evening, Somali officials said on Wednesday.
Mohamed
Ali Osman, SNA captain who spoke to the media said that the fighting
took place in Marka town after Al-Shabaab militants attempted to raid a
military base.
“In a subsequent engagement, Somali military using mortars and machine-gun fire repulsed the terrorists, ” he said.
According to Mr. Osman, the forces killed five militants during the gunfire in Obasibo and El-Haji neighbourhoods of Marka town.
"We
have killed five Al-Shabaab militants at an area about 2 km to Marka
town in Lower Shabelle region after heavy fighting with Al-Shabaab
fighters," Mr. Osman said.Other militants who were in the company of the five escaped with injuries.
He did not disclose the number of soldiers or civilians injured in the latest fighting in the town
“Somali
soldiers remain vigilant and will continue to relentlessly pursue the
terrorists to ensure peace and security of our country,” he said.
Al-Shabaab militants have not commented on the military victory claimed by SNA official in the region.
The attack comes barely three days after Somali military dislodged Al-Shabaab fighters from parts of Marka town.
In
2016, the militants seized the town, which is situated 100 kilometers
(60 miles)southwest of Mogadishu after troops from the Ugandan
contingent of the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) left.
Since then the group was controlling parts of the town which is one of the strategic ports in Southern Somalia.