At least five of Al shabab were killed and several others injured on Monday night in a heavy fighting between African Union peacekeepers together with Somali National Army 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 capture the remain region from Al Shabab.

 

"Somali national army and AU forces wanted to recapture Owdhegle area back to our control our side we have not any soldier and no injured soldier. But we have 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.