The armed group says that the control of the city of Wargaadhi and its military base, but the Somali army denies the claim.
The Al-Shabab fighters have fought against the Somali troops and the allied forces for control or a basis of the strategic army in southern Somalia, agreed to the government and a military official.
Capture the base in the city of Wargaadhi in the Shabelle Middle region, which houses soldiers, special forces and clan combatants, would allow the group linked to Al Qaeda to separate a crucial path between the capital, Mogadiscio, 200 km (124 miles) to the southwest and the state of the central awards as they extend to the attempts to extend recently in the region.
Al-Shabab has been fighting the Somali government for more than 16 years and frequently points to government officials and military personnel. He said in a statement that his combatants had captured the base and city of Wargaadhi, a claim that the government denied.
The Ministry of Information said in a statement that government forces had killed more than 40 people after they tried to attack the base on Thursday morning.
However, the army officer, Hussein Ali, told the Reuters news agency that the armed group had tasks of the city of Wargaadhi after “fierce fights.”
“Our forces lost 12 men, mostly [clan fighters]. Around 20 Al-Shabab fighters were also killed, “Ali said.” But finally, Al-Shabab obtained more reinforcements and managed to capture the city. “
He added that the Somalia Army was struggling to send reinforcements because it would need to wear tight routes through areas of Al-Shabab heroes.
Two soldiers cited by Reuters said that government forces, backed by air attacks, had managed to recover part of the city at a medium age.
It was not possible to verify independently the claims made by both sides.
Offensive onoing
Last week, Al-Shabab claimed to have taken control of Adam Yabal, a town and a logistics center for government forces about 220 km (130 miles) to the north or Mogadiscio.
However, Captain Hussein Olow, a military officer in Adan Yabaal, denied the report, Count Reuters government troops had retired to the group.
Both attacks are part of an offensive launched by AL-Shabab last month. The group captured the villages of letters within the 50 km (30 miles) or Mogadiscio, which increases the fears among the residents of the capital that the city could be attacked.
While the Somali forces have recovered those villages, Al-Shab has continued to advance in the field as the future of international security support for Somalia’s appears is increasingly precarious.
A new Mission of Maintenance of the Peace of the African Union, the mission of support and stabilization of the UA in Somalia, replaced a major force in February, but its financing is uncertain since the United States remains opposite to a United Nations financing model.