Beledweyne — A battle broke out early on Wednesday morning in the Bardhere area of Hiran region between the local forces supported by the SNA and Al-Shabaab.

The skirmish came after Al-Shabaab fighters who crossed the Shabelle River on the west side attacked a base belonging to the allied forces, who managed to fend off the ambush.

It remains sketchy the casualties caused by the fighting that locals said involved heavy weapons being used by both sides. The militants were overpowered and repulsed later.

Al-Shabaab lost dozens of villages to Mawisley and Somali government forces in the eastern parts of Hiran region where the militant group has been active for over 10 years.

The latest reports say that the Al-Shabaab fighters who attacked the Bardhere area in Southern Baledweyne this morning suffered losses and fled to nearby villages.

Since August 2022, Al-Shabaab ceded major territories and major towns in the central Somali regions of Hiran, Middle Shabelle, Galgadud and Lower Shabelle regions.

The defense ministry said the Somali National Army, backed by international partners and local clan militias, killed more than 3,000 militants and wounded hundreds more.