Somali troops killed over 30 al-shabaab militants during a raid at their base in El-Qurac as the government continues to consolidate recent gains against the armed group.
Weapons and equipment were seized and the base destroyed during the operation in the area bordering Middle Shabelle region, Deputy Minister of Information Adala Abdirahman told state media on Wednesday.
Troops are in pursuit of militants who escaped the raid.
Somali’s government and local clan militias have been leading the campaign to regain territory from the al-shabaab which previously controlled large swathes of territory across the country.
They US has regularly conducted airstrikes against the militants positions, at the request of the Somali government, leading to the deaths of some of the group's leaders.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has declared ending al-shabaab’s 15-year insurgency as a priority.
