27 Al-Shabab militants killed by Somali military in southern Somalia

Somali National Army (SNA) killed 27 al-Shabab militants on Friday in an operation in the Lower Juba region, a military officer confirmed on Saturday.

Isma'il Abdi Malik, commander of the 16th Unit of SNA told journalists that the army conducted an offensive in Bula Gadud village in the outskirt of Kismayo town following intelligence on the movement.

"There was stiff resistance from the militants but our forces fought them bravely and killed 27 of them," Malik said.

"The army also destroyed two vehicles loaded with explosives during the operation," he added.

Residents said heavily armed forces entered the town before the fight.

"There was a fierce fight between government forces and the militants in the town and we could hear sounds of the heavy fire exchanged by both sides," Ali Hussein, a resident told Xinhua via phone.

The latest incident came barely four days after the Somali National Army killed six al-Shabab militants in another operation in Janale town in Lower Shabelle region in the southern parts of the country.

Government forces have stepped up operations against al-Shabab militants in the southern regions, but the militants still hold swathes of rural areas in the regions conducting ambushes and planting landmines.