The fighting at an area called Mudale, 40 kilometres from the rebel held Bardera town occurred when the allied troops launched attacks on two rebel bases in the area, according to a Somali politician accompanying the allied forces.

Kenyan fighter jets are taking part in the fight and have already bombarded two rebel bases in Mudale, according to eyewitnesses.

Reports from the nearby areas say today’s battle is the heaviest ever to erupt between the rebel fighters and the allied forces in the region since the onslaught against the militant group started mid last year.

Mohamed Sayyid Aden, a member of the Somali parliament who is leading government’s push against Al-Shabaab in the region told Sunatimes that they inflicted heavy casualties on the militant fighters.

He claimed that the allied forces killed over 40 Al-Shabaab militant fighters , adding that two they lost two soldiers on their side and five other sustained injured during the battle for Mudale.

Kenyan military have been battling Al-Shabaab militants in Lower Juba and Gedo since crossing into Somalia border mid-last October.

Bardera is one of the few remaining rebel strongholds in Gedo region and the group’s top bras including its spokesman Ali Mohamoud Rage (Ali Dhere) have been touring the town in the last few days.