Dozens of al-Shabaab militants were killed in clashes with the Somali army on Monday when they tried to storm three military bases, officials said.
A local security source added that government forces repelled the attacks and safely detonated four car bombs about 80 kilometers southwest of the coastal city of Kismayo in Jubaland state.
Videos posted by state officials on social media showed at least 35 bodies near the village of Bulu-Haji.
“We thank the federal forces and Jubaland forces who killed more than 80 Al-Shabaab and captured their weapons,” the government said in a statement published by the Somali National News Agency (SONA).
Five soldiers were killed in the clashes, said Farah Hussein, a military official.
“We received information about the arrival of Al-Shabaab elements, so we left the three bases and surrounded the movement’s fighters and killed dozens of them. I counted 30 dead Al-Shabaab and saw more bodies lying in front of me,” he added.
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