Although the fight was not that much intensive, cracking of gunfire could be heard from the area, according to eyewitnesses who spoke to Sunatimes on condition of anonymity.

They said over fifty militant fighters were seen fleeing towards Warshiekh district of middle Shabelle region after the allied forces briefly moved into the area.

But they could not verify whether the allied forces are in hot pursuit of the fleeing militants or not.

Strategically located 30 km east of Mogadishu along the Somali coast, the area has a small beach port and is occupied by hundreds of displaced people who fled their homes in the city due to the recent clashes in Mogadishu.

Government troops and African Union forces took control of Afgoye, about 30km from the capital, Mogadishu, and Afmadow town in Lower Juba in May after Al-Shabaab group abandoned these towns undefended.