Somalia-based Islamists militant group al-Shabaab on Sunday clashed with troops from the African Union peacekeeping mission , a senior military officer said.

The two sides clashed in Bulamareer district in Lower Shabelle region about 140 km southwest of Mogadishu.

The al-Shabaab fighters ambushed a convoy carrying AMISOM troops, prompting the fighting.

“The ambush turned into a fierce fight between al Shabaab and AMISOM,” Reuters quotes Col. Hassan Mohamed to have said.

The Islamists militant group said it had killed 39 AMISOM soldiers  in the fight, including their commander.

The figure could not however be verified independently as the government has not issued any numbers yet.

Al-Shabaab has waged a near-decade war in Somalia, in attempts to enforce a strict sharia governance.

The war has killed thousands and forced millions to flee their homes.

Somalia President Mohamed Abdullahi pledged to crush the militants after taking office in February.

The president in May called on the international community to lift an arms embargo on his country as government soldiers battle to regain territory from the armed group al-Shabab.

Amnesty and Human rights groups however have previously called on the United Nations to not lift the embargo, warning that it could “expose Somali civilians to even greater risk and worsen the humanitarian situation”.

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