The fighting occurred when heavily armed militants launched attacks on a government military base on the outskirt of the city.

Hiran deputy regional governor Ahmed Osman Abdalle told Sunatimes that Al-Shabaab militants attacked their base prompting a deadly gunfire in the area. He said their forces repelled the attackers.

Although the exact number of casualties still remains unknown, Abdalle claimed that eight militants were killed during the gun-battle and only three of their soldiers sustained light injuries.