Baidoa, Somalia — Heavy fighting between Somali regional forces and Al-Shabaab fighters happened on the outskirts of Baidoa city, which currently serves as the Southwest state capital.

The battle came after the militants launched an overnight ambush attack on a base housing Southwest regional troops in a remote area that lies near the southern strategic town.

The Somali government said in a statement that Al-Shabaab fighters have suffered heavy losses as a result of the counter-attack by the Southwest state's Darwish soldiers.

The statement did not disclose the exact number of casualty figures and the details remain sketchy with no independent sources verifying who had the upper hand in the combat.

Baidoa, Bay regional capital is situated some 250 kilometers southwest of Mogadishu, the Somali capital. Ethiopian forces under ATMIS are protecting the city's security.

Al-Shabaab, an Al-Qaeda ally in East Africa intensified attacks in Somalia to topple the UN-backed government and expelled African Union forces from the Horn of Africa nation.