At least nine Al-Shabaab militants were killed and several others injured in a fighting on Thursday in central Somalia.
The fighting took place in Elbur district in Galgadud region, where the Somalia National Army (SNA) backed by peacekeepers from the African Union (AU), battled with the insurgents, killing at least nine militants and wounded 10 others, Xinhua reported.
"We killed nine Al-Shabaab fighters while one government soldier was killed. We are now in full control," Elbur district commissioner Nor Hassan Gutale told Xinhua.
Al-Qaida allied Al-Shabaab insurgents said they killed eight Ethiopian soldiers from the AU peacekeeping troops, and captured El-shiil neighbourhood during the fighting.
However, government officials dismissed the militants' claim.
