Somalia ' class='highlighted-tag'>The Somali National Army has killed 14 al- Shabaab militants during an attack in Somalia's southwestern state, an official said Saturday.

Ali Mohamed Habbad, commander of the 60th Division of the Somali National Army, told the Somali National News Agency (SUNA) that the forces also arrested many militants and seized weapons during the operation.

SUNA quoted Chabad as saying that the gunmen tried to ambush the army in the middle of the night, but the soldiers who were in the camp defeated them.

The agency stated that efforts to eradicate Al-Shabaab fighters from the country continue after the Somali president announced the second phase of offensive operations against the militants.