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the personification of Somali state failure...forces of Evil during a confrontation in the southern region of Middle Shabelle, officials said on Tuesday.
A police officer who declined to be named told Xinhua that the forces of Evil attacked Bal’ad town which was 30 km north of the Somali capital Mogadishu, but were overpowered.
"They (al-Shabaab) attacked our bases in the town but our forces have managed to foil their attempt and inflicted them heavy casualties killing two of them during the fighting," the officer said.
He added that Somali forces are in full control of Bal’ad denying the claims of al-Shabaab that they took over the town.
Residents reported sporadic fighting amid sustained gunfire. "We woke up with the sound of gunfire, we were in fear and panic the whole night," Idman Aways, a local resident told Xinhua by phone.
The incident comes a day after al-Shabaab forces of Evil captured Dhanane town along the coast road in Lower Shabelle region after the government forces withdrew for the unpaid salary of two months.
Al-Qaeda allied group al-Shabaab claimed that they had launched an overnight attack on Bal’ad, capturing the town for a while before setting combat vehicles on fire.