MOGADISHU, Somalia 

The Somali army Wednesday said it has killed eight al-Shabaab terrorists in the country’s southern Gedo region.

Ali Mohamed Mohamoud, a Somali National Army commander, told local media: “Our forces destroyed many bases used by the militants and killed eight al-Shabaab fighters, including the militants’ operational commander in Bardhere town named Zakarie Sheikh.”

On Tuesday, at least seven Kenyan military personnel serving under African Union peacekeeping mission forces in Somalia (AMISOM) were killed when a bomb targeted military vehicles in southern Somalia.

The attack prompted Somalia to deploy its forces to bolster security and scout for the attackers in southern Somalia.

The Somalia-based al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Shabaab terrorist group frequently carries out bombings to undermine Somalia's central government.