Somali National Army (SNA) forces on Friday killed four senior al-Shabaab militants and captured Kurtunwarey district, a major stronghold for the group in southern Somalia, officials said.

SNA Commander, Ismail Abdimalik Malin told reporters that the successful operation by the special forces (Dahab) was aimed at flushing out terrorists and disrupting their plans to terrorize the residents in the Lower Shabelle region.

“We killed four senior al-Shabab militants and injured several others who were in a meeting by the time of the operation in Kurtunwarey district, a stronghold town of al-Shabab militants, we also took control of the town and released civilian prisoners in cells,” said Malin.

He said the forces safely destroyed unexploded bombs safely during the operation, adding the forces are still pursuing the militants who ran towards Sablale town in the region.