MOGADISHU — An Afghanistan Jihadist fighting alongside Al Qaeda linked Al Shabaab and 16 other militants were killed in joint military operation carried out near Marka town, some 91km southwest of Somali capital Mogadishu.
Somali military says the operation was carried out in Jilib Marka near the town, leaving 16 militants, including an Afghan jihadist by the name Nasir Al-Jabiri dead.
In a statement, the military said the joint offensive was conducted according to the plan.
There was no immediate comment from Al Shabaab over the military claims.
Al-Shabab has been waging an insurgency in Somalia for more than 10 years.
A 22,000-strong African Union force is in the country to help the government fight the al-Qaeda-linked militants.
The group has been driven out of many urban areas since 2011, however it still controls territory in rural areas and carries out gun attacks and bombings on military and civilian targets.
