MOGADISHU (SD) – Somali National Army (SNA) has on Saturday killed at least six al-Shabaab fighters and wounded several others in a security operation in central Somalia, a military official confirmed.

Hussein Hassan, a senior military official told the media that Somali forces stormed an al-Shabaab controlled village on the outskirts of Buloburte town in Hiiraan region.

During operation, the forces managed to kill the militants and destroy the group’s base in Af-ad village.

“They tried to resist but were defeated. Our forces killed six militants and destroyed the group’s base in the village. We suffered no casualties,” Hassan said.

The operation will be continuous and take place in areas controlled by the militant group, according to Hassan.

Al-Shabaab, an Al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group which once controlled large swath territories in south and central Somalia was weakened after its fighters many battles to Somali military backed AU troops in the country.

The group lost the capital in 2011 after fierce fighting with Somali forces and AU troops.

Al-Shabaab still carries out deadly attacks in major towns including the capital.

On Friday, an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) had killed three people including a local official on the outskirts of Mogadishu.

The responsibility for the attack was claimed by al-shabaab.