Six militants killed in southern Somalia clash

[Deeq A.]

Somali National Army (SNA) backed by Jubaland state forces on Saturday killed six al-Shabab extremists in a fierce clash in the southern region of Lower Juba, an officer confirmed.

Aden Mohamed Ibrahim, commander of Jubaland forces, told journalists that members of al-Shabab militants launched an attack on a base run by the regional state’s forces in Bar Sanguni neighborhood, but they were overpowered. “The forces prevented the militants’ attempt to overrun the base and the militants suffered severe casualties during the confrontation between the army and the attackers,” Ibrahim said, adding that a government soldier was killed and two others injured during the gun battle.

Government forces have intensified operations against al-Shabab militants in the southern and central regions in recent months, but the militants are still hiding in the rural areas of those regions, conducting ambushes and planting landmines.

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