The terror group, however,  denies any of its fighters died in the clash.

ends intro

The Kenyan troops are under African Union command.

They used artillery and helicopter gunships against the Islamists in Afmadow, a town about 100 km  inland from the port of Kismayu.

Kenyan military spokesman Col. Joseph Owuoth says in addition to killing  57 al Shabaab militants and  injuring several others, his troops destroyed five gun-mounted pickup trucks known as technicals.

Al Shabaab’s spokesman for military operations Abdiasis Abu Musabsaid says his fighters ambushed Kenyan soldiers, prompting them to call in air support.

He insists al Shabaab lost no fighters and says he has no casualty figures for the Kenya Defence Forces.

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