The Somali army has said it killed 17 al-Shabab militants in an operation in the southern Lower Shabelle region, state-owned Somali National News Agency (Sonna) has reported.

The military said the operation took place in the village of el-Mara’ade.

“The Gorgor unit of the Somali National Army (SNA) killed 17 militants and wounded six others, according to army radio reporter Mohamed Abdullahi Shilawe, who witnessed the operation,” Sonna said.

The state news agency said the army also destroyed al-Shabab hideouts, a “fake courthouse” and an “extortion centre”.

Earlier, the local media reported that al-Shabab militants overran a military base and seized Ba’adweyn town in central Somalia.