MOGADISHU, May 23 (Xinhua) -- At least 5 Al-Shabaab militants were killed on Tuesday in a heavy fighting with Somali National Army in Lower Shabelle region of southern Somalia, officials said.
Somali government army official Mohamed Isse Mohamed told reporters that the insurgents killed one soldier during the fighting.
"We killed 5 Al-Shabaab militants in the fighting today, they fled their dead bodies, we lost one soldier during the fighting with the militants. We will continue operations to eradicate them," Isse said.
Isse dismissed claims by the militants that they killed more government soldiers during the fighting.
Al-Shabaab militants claimed victory for the latest confrontations in Lower Shabelle region, saying it killed 13 Somali government soldiers and captured some checkpoints.
Independence source say that the fighting also caused large displacement and casualties more than those told.
The government official's remarks come as the Somali government's soldiers were deployed to the frontlines in the southern region to flush out Al-Shabaab.
