Many killed in Somali army clash with militants

The Al-Qaeda-linked group has been fighting the government for two decades and still controls large swathes of central Somalia despite a massive international operation against it.

It said it launched an attack on Monday afternoon on Turkish-trained government troops and an allied militia in the Lower Shabelle region, resulting in the deaths of 321 troops.

The defence ministry responded on Tuesday that federal troops killed 75 Al-Shabaab militants and wounded 56 others during the assault, which took place near the city of Leego.

"The Somali National Army, conducting Operation Banooda, launched a major assault lasting several hours on 26 October against Al-Shabaab positions in Jameeca," the ministry said.

Neither account could be independently verified.

Al-Shabaab also claimed to have seized prisoners, weapons and vehicles during the three-hour ambush, while the federal government confirmed that the militants used explosives-laden vehicles in the attack.

"The attack damaged some military vehicles," the defence ministry said.

Local media platform Baidoa Online said the government had called an emergency meeting of the cabinet to discuss the "heavy casualties and substantial military equipment losses during intense fighting with Al-Shabaab militants near Leego".

Turkey has emerged as a key backer of the Somali government at a time when the United States and other key donors are pulling back from supporting the counter-insurgency.

Washington has stopped funding the vital United Nations logistics mission that supplies combat operations in the country, saying the government has failed to make progress in uniting the country and tackling the insurgent threat.