The Somali army, alongside the African Union troops, killed at least eight Al-Shabaab militants in the south-central Bay region on Tuesday.

Regional minister for militia rehabilitation in Southwest State, Hussein Hassan Mohamed, told reporters that a senior Al-Shabaab official was among those killed in the operation in Qansax-Dheere location, south of Baidoa town.

"They (the militants) attempted to make resistance, but we overpowered them and killed eight of the terrorists including a senior official whose name is Hassan Ganey," Hassan said, adding the joint forces suffered no casualties.

The operation came a day after Al-Shabaab militants killed three government soldiers in an ambush in an area close to Baidoa town, the administrative capital of Southwest State.

Based in southern Somalia, the Al-Shabaab Islamist group carries out periodic attacks in the country.

Source : XINHUA