Mogadishu, December 22 (QNA) - Somalia's army said it had killed 15 Al Shabab fighters during a military operation in the country's central Shabelle region.

According to Somalia's state news agency (SONNA), the operation targeted Al Shabab positions in the Jabad Godni area of Middle Shabelle. The army said those killed included several senior field commanders.

The Al Qaeda-linked group has been waging an insurgency against Somalia's internationally backed government for more than a decade.

It has carried out frequent attacks that have killed hundreds of civilians and security personnel, and has targeted government buildings and hotels in the capital, Mogadishu, as well as other parts of the country. (QNA)