The attack sparked a fierce clash between al-Shabaab
...
Somalia's version of the Taliban, functioning as an arm of al-Qaeda...bully boyz and Æthiopian forces who are serving with the African Union
...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful...
Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).
"We heard heavy shootouts that lasted for about an hour. All the residents were in state of fear and shock," said one of residents in Ali Fooley village, near Mahaday town.
The number of casualties is yet unclear as both sides did not provide further information about the gun-battle which broke out after the troops advanced on Al shabaab strongholds.
Al-Shabaab has intensified its ambush attacks on Somali and AMISOM forces in the past few months, as the group is trying to topple the UN backed Federal government in Mogadishu.
Somalia’s new federal government has announced in March an offensive against Al shabaab , to recapture all areas still under the control of the Death Eaters.