AFGOOYE, Somalia, June 20, 2015 (Garowe Online)-Somalia’s Al Qaeda linked Al Shabaab militants overran a key town near Mogadishu in deadly raid overnight on Friday according to residents, Garowe Online reports.

Militants firstly attacked army base in the outskirts of Afgooye, some 30km west of Mogadishu thrusting into the town and briefly seizing a police compound, security sources were quoted as saying.

The commander of Afgooye police station, Abdullahi Mohamed Haji Ali on Saturday told the reporters that they recaptured two of four armoured vehicles seized by Al Shabaab fighters in the attack.

At least eight government soldiers were killed, with two being admitted to local medical facility for treatment.

On Thursday, Al Shabaab marked the first day of fasting month of Ramadan with botched suicide attack in central town, Adado.

As Somalis like millions of Muslims around the world began observing Ramadan a day ago, analysts predict rise in Al Shabaab rampages.

Meanwhile in Mogadishu, Somali federal government deployed hundreds of police officers in a bid to tighten security on possible Al Shabaab attacks. 

GAROWE ONLINE