Somali, AU troops clash with Al-Shabaab in southern Somalia

[Deeq A.]

More details are coming out of a heavy gunfight between Somali government forces backed by AU peacekeepers and Al-Shabaab militants erupted in the outskirts of Qoryoley town.

The battle broke out following an ambush attack on a military checkpoint near the district by heavily armed Al-Shabaab fighters, according to local residents.

The fighting has raged on for several hours and both sides exchanged heavy and small weapons that caused casualties, but, the exact number of the losses remained unclear.

This was the latest in a series of attacks against Somali and AU military bases in the Lower Shabelle region by the Al-Qaeda-linked militant group Al-Shabab.

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