Friday March 22, 2019
Bula-Marer town. FILE PHOTO
MOGADISHU, March 21 (Xinhua) -- Somali
forces backed by African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom) killed two
al-Shabab militants during midnight clashes in Bula-Marer area in the
country's southern town of Kuntuwarey, officials said on Thursday.
Muhudin
Khalif Aliyow, deputy governor for security of Kuntuwarey town told
journalists that the allied forces engaged fierce battle with the
extremists in Bula-Marer in Lower Shabelle region. "The
militants attacked our military base at midnight attempting to overrun
it but our forces fought them back bravely and inflicted them heavy
casualties killing two of them," the official said.
He
added that Somali forces are in full control of the town and are making
operations to pursue those who are hiding in the town.
Residents said they were terrified by the heavy weapons exchanged by the two warring sides.
"Al-Shabab
fighters launched an attack on a military base used by government
forces, there was street fighting that lasted for a while," Qamar Adam, a
local resident told Xinhua by phone.
The
attack comes a day after al-Shabab militants conducted a similar attack
on the government forces in Bal'ad town in Middle Shabelle region in
southern Somalia.