Somalia: 15 militants killed as Govt troops attack Al shabaab base near Diinsoor city
A senior official says at least 15 militants have been killed and their small weapons seized on Tuesday in an armed conflict in Al shabaab base near Diinsoor town of Baay region in southern Somalia.
Confirming the incident, Diinsoor district commissioner Ibrahim Mohamed Nur (Shig-shigow) has told Radio Shabelle that Govt troops attacked an Al shabaab stronghold located 45Kms away from the town and killed 15 fighters.
He said that nearly 30 Al-shabaab militants collecting Zakah (an Islamic levy on wealth) from the local people came under heavy fire from Government forces, sparking a fierce gunfight that led to deaths of the combatants.
Local residents reported hearing sounds of heavy gun fire as the two sides battled it out for close to an hour. The Govt military said no casualties on their side.