Somali forces recapture town in southern Somalia

MOGADISHU, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Somali forces on Wednesday recaptured a town in the Lower Shabelle region as the military intensified attacks against the militant group Al-Shabaab.

Gen. Omar Adan Hassan, the April 12 Somalia National Army Brigade commander, told the media the forces launched a major offensive against the militants, capturing Baladul Amin location in Lower Shabelle region.

Hassan added his forces inflicted casualties on the militants who fled the town after the attack.

"Somali forces conducted a morning raid and captured Baladul Amin location this morning which is located in Wanla Weyn in Lower Shabelle region," Hassan said. "We also killed several militants but I cannot give you more information."

The latest attack came amid increased military operations in the southern regions of the country, conducted jointly by African Union forces and the Somali National Army.

The allied forces hope to force out the militants ahead of the United Nations Security Council-mandated withdrawal of 1,000 troops next month.

The military operations have forced the militants to flee to central and northern regions.

U.S. forces said on Monday it killed one Islamic State (IS) fighter in Bari region in northeastern Somalia, the second of such attacks on the Abdulqadir Mumin-led faction.

Mumin, a formerly UK-based preacher, declared leadership of IS in Somalia in 2015. Enditem