GALKAYO, Somalia 

The al-Shabaab terrorist group on Thursday launched a pre-dawn attack on a strategic Somali army base in Wargaadhi village in the Middle Shabelle region of south-central Hirshabele state, triggering a heavy firefight.

According to a security official who spoke to Anadolu over the phone on condition of anonymity, the Somali National Army, supported by local militias, engaged in fierce combat with the al-Qaeda-affiliated group, resulting in multiple casualties on both sides.

Despite al-Shabaab’s claim that it had captured the village and overrun the army base, the Somali Defense Ministry said Wargaadhi remains under military control.

“Wargaadhi remains fully under the control of the Somali National Army and local forces,” the ministry said in a statement.

Wargaadhi is the second-largest military base for the Somali National Army in the Middle Shabelle region, following the strategic town of Adan Yabaal, which was previously seized by al-Shabaab.

The village is of key geographical importance as it connects army bases in Eel-Dheer and Masagaway in the central state of Galmudug.

Al-Shabaab has intensified its attacks on Somali government forces and strategic military positions in Middle Shabelle since the start of Ramadan last month.