SNA Infantry deputy commander Ismail Sheikh Isak told Xinhua news agency the SNA backed by Jubaland State forces carried out the operation following intelligence about the presence of the militants.

"The militants who had been arrested provided intelligence that helped our SNA forces to kill the ten terrorists," Isak told the Chinese news agency on the phone, adding the security operation has been going on for about two weeks and will be sustained until al-Shabab militants are flushed out of their strongholds in the area.

Sources told the news agency that there was heavy fighting between the two sides but the government forces eventually overpowered the terrorists resulting in the casualties.