Somalia's al-Shabab has seized control of Dobley, a southern border town located between Somalia and Kenya, after heavy fighting with a rival group.

Heavily armed al-Shabab fighters attacked the town on Tuesday night, leading to fierce gun battle which lasted into the better part of Wednesday, before the rival group Hizbul Islam gave in and fled the town, a Press TV correspondent reported.

According to residents, hundreds of al-Shabab militia with battle wagons are patrolling the key border town.

Earlier on Tuesday, dozens of al-Shabab fighters took over the control of Qoqani village near the Kenyan border, after Hizbul Islam gunmen left it without any military confrontation.

Reports said that fleeing Hizbul Islam officials ran into Kenyan security forces at the border where a top Hizbul Islam commander, Isse Kamboni was reportedly nabbed and is currently held in Kenya.

The capture of the town comes four days after another southern town, Afmadow, was seized by al-Shabab without any fighting.

The two groups, which have a large presence in southern Somalia, have been engaged in deadly warfare in recent days.

Relations between the two groups have disintegrated after al-Shabab unilaterally formed a new administration for Kismayo, a lucrative southern Somali port city that fuels insurgent activities across the war-torn country.

presstv