QOQANI, Somalia, Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Nine Somali soldiers and five al-Shabaab militants were killed in heavy fighting in southern Somalia, officials said Tuesday.
Witnesses said fighting erupted about midnight after the militants from the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabaab attacked a government military convoy coming from Dhoblay town to Qoqani district in Lower Jubba region of southern Somalia near the Kenyan border, Shabelle Media Network reported.
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The ambush occurred about 6 miles from Qoqani town, Shabelle reported.
The five militants were killed in a counterattack, a government officer said.
Shabelle said more than nine people were injured.