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Somalia's version of the Taliban, functioning as an arm of al-Qaeda...has claimed to kill at least 2 Somali government soldiers in a fresh attack on an army checkpoint near the southern town of Afgoye, about 30Km northwest of Mogadishu.
In a statement posted on its affiliated websites, the Lions of Islam said they launched an ambush against Somali troops manning a checkpoint on the outskirts of Afgoye.
The attack has sparked hours-long shootout ensued between the Lions of Islam and Somali National Army (SNA) soldiers, which claimed the lives of several people, including civilians.
Al-Shabaab said it seized a cycle of violence and a large amount of cash during the attack.