By Hassan Istiila

MOGADISHU, Somalia 

At least seven al-Shabaab militants were killed in a counter-terror operation in Somalia's southern Middle Juba region, the information minister said Thursday.

The operation was conducted on Wednesday in Jilib town, Abdirahman Omar Osman said in a statement.

A senior al-Shabaab militant responsible for multiple bombings in capital Mogadishu was killed in the operation, he added.

The Somali forces had conducted the operation, with support from its international partners, following orders of President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed.

The al-Shabaab group did not issue any statement about the operation.