Authorities in the central state of Galmudug said on Friday 16 militants were killed after Al-Shabaab had attacked a key town, state TV reported.
State media released photos showing several dead bodies of men wearing military uniforms after insurgents attacked the town of Bahdo in central Somalia’s Galgadud region.
Authorities also said a vehicle laden with explosives had been captured, adding that it could be used to target positions of security forces.
Al-Qaeda-aligned Al-Shabaab said it had killed 27 local forces involved in mobilization activities in Bahdo and admitted that 9 of its fighters had been killed in the fighting.
Both sides have made contradictory claims and there has been no independent verification.
Meanwhile, a number of mortar bombs targeted the airport of the town of Dhusamareb, the capital of Gamudug regional state, though casualties have not been immediately known.
