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africanews

The AU peacekeeping force in Mogadishu and its ally, Somali government troops, have successfully extended their positions to the North East of the Presidential villa in Somalia in the districts of Shibis and Boondere, witnesses and AU officials said.

The two days of clashes between an Al-Qaeda linked Somali group, Al shabaab and AU troops with the help of TFG troops caused the death of over 20 people, while reports said seven insurgents were killed in the battle.

The head of Mogadishu’s emergency ambulances Ali Sheikh told Africa News by phone that 20 people who died people were mostly civilians, but other witnesses put the death toll higher.

The health officials for the local hospitals confirmed that at least 30 civilians are wounded.

An AU official Colonel Michael Ondoga and the Somali ministry of internal affairs confirmed the seizure of the new bases and strongholds from the Al shabaab fighters: “a number of extremist insurgents have been killed in the fighting with only five minor injuries to our own troops”. At least five dead bodies were found in the new positions, and we believe more will have been injured and died and their bodies recovered" said in a released statement on Thursday evening.