AMISOM, Somali troops kill 24 Al-Shabaab militants

African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) Thursday said that 24 militants were killed in a raid by its troops and Somalian forces to foil a planned attack by the Al-Shabaab group in Afmadow city.

"During the late (Wednesday) afternoon engagement, 24 Al-Shabaab militias were killed, among them three were identified as foreign fighters. Others escaped with multiple injuries and are being pursued by the allied forces," the AU mission said in a statement, Xinhua reported.

AMISOM said the joint forces raided Al-Shabaab to foil their planned attack on defensive position of the forces in the city in southern Somalia.

The mission said the joint forces recovered weapons and ammunition including a grenade launcher, two light machine guns and nine AK 47 rifles.

Two Somali soldiers died during the raid and four others sustained minor injuries, it added.

Al-Shabaab militants have escalated their attacks on the Somali government forces and AU peacekeepers in the country located in the horn of Africa.