Somalian army kills 3 Al-Shabaab militants in Bay region, southern Somalia

Three Al-Shabaab militants were killed on Friday evening in an operation conducted by Somali forces in Awdinle town in the southern region of Bay, an official said on Saturday.

Ibrahim Mohamed Nour, governor of Awdinle town, told journalists that Somali forces launched an attack on Al-Shabaab extremists following a tip-off from the residents saying the militants were forcing Awdinle residents to pay compulsory taxes.

“The operation resulted in the killing of three Al-Shabaab militants and the capture of another one alive. Weapons and ammunitions were also recovered from the militants,” said Nour, adding that the captured militant is under the custody of government forces.

“We heard the sound of gun fight late Friday afternoon and later learnt it was a clash between government forces and Al-Shabaab militants, but we can’t give further details,” Hassan Gelle, a local resident told Xinhua by phone.

The latest military offensive came barely a week after Somali army killed 15 Al-Shabaab militants in an offensive in Wanlaweyn town in Lower Shabelle region.

Somali forces have intensified operations on Al-Shabaab extremists in central and southern Somalia, conducting consecutive offensives to flush the militants out of those regions.