Odowaa Yusuf Rage, Chief of Defense Forces said that the deadly dawn attack at the army base located in Yasoman village left three soldiers dead. "Our forces defeated the terrorists and killed 50 of them who attempted to raid the army base," Yusuf told SNA Radio.

He said the ongoing military operations will be intensified in the area to flush out all the terrorists who have been staging terror attacks in the region.

The Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism had earlier said the SNA backed by the local forces had received intelligence information about the impending attack but moved swiftly and successfully repulsed the insurgents.

The ministry said the fierce fighting took place in Yasoman village, about 35 km northeast of Bulaburte city.

The Somali forces backed by pro-government militia have liberated more than 40 villages and killed over 500 al-Shabab terrorists in the past three weeks in operations in central Somalia.

The militant group has lost ground to the Somali government and African Union troops in recent months but still controls some territory in southern and central Somalia.