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At least 5 militants killed in fighting between AU peacekeepers and Al-Shabaab

Xinhua, December 22, 2015 Adjust font size:

At least five militants were killed and several others injured on Monday in a heavy fighting between African Union peacekeepers and Al-Shabaab in Owdhigle in lower Shabelle region southern Somalia, officials said.

Spokesman for lower Shabelle region Mohamed Hussein Shino confirmed the incident to journalists that the Somalia National Army backed by the AMISOM forces wanted to recapture the region from the militants.

"Somali national army and AU forces wanted to recapture Owdhegle area back to our control. We lost two soldiers and one soldier was injured. We killed five Al-Shabaab fighters and the fighting will still go ahead until they surrender the area to us," Shino said.

The spokesman added the operation will continue until the insurgents are eliminated from the whole region.

Somali National Army backed by the African Union Peacekeeping forces removed the Al-Qaida linked group of Al-Shabaab from many key towns in the south and central Somalia in the past two years.

The group is carrying out hit and run attacks in major towns under government and deadly explosions in the capital Mogadishu. Endit