Mogadishu, Jul 1 (IANS): Somali forces killed as many as eight militants and injured 12 others during the clashes between government forces and al-Shabab extremists in Moro Gabey, a village 30 km away from Hudur town in the country's southern region of Bakol, officials said.

The clashes erupted after government forces attacked the militants, who were forcefully collecting taxes from the residents of the village, Xinhua quoted Mohamed Mo'alim Ahmed, Commissioner of Hudur town as saying to journalists on Sunday.

"Our forces managed to kill eight of the terrorists and injured 12 others," Ahmed said, noting that the government forces had lost four soldiers and two others sustained injuries during the operation.

"Heavily armed forces attacked the militants in the village, the two sides exchanged heavy gunfight and there were casualties, but we can't indicate the exact figure," Lul Omar, a local resident told Xinhua by phone.

The move came after the government forces on Thursday also killed 8 al-Shabab militants in an operation in Jamame town in the country's southern region of Lower Juba.

Somali forces have intensified the operations on al-Qaida affiliated group in central and southern regions to flush the militants out.