Mogadishu, May 30 (IANS): The Somali Armed Forces have said that it killed 37 al-Shabab militants in the Middle Shabelle region amid the ongoing military operations to flush out the extremists in the southern part of the country.

"The Somali National Army (SNA) last night carried out a planned operation in the Galka-Harare area of Middle Shabelle where the militants were based, killing 37 al-Shabab militants and capturing two others," the armed forces said in a statement issued here on Saturday.

The incident came after the government forces killed 15 al-Shabab militants, including key members, during an operation in Gal-labashiir village in Middle Shabelle region on Friday.

The government forces have intensified security operations against the Al Qaeda allied terrorist group as the country prepares to hold presidential and parliamentary elections within 60 days.

The terror group which has been fighting to overthrow the government has vowed to disrupt the elections.

Al-Shabab has been designated as a terrorist organisation by Australia, Canada, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates, the UK and the US.

The US State Department has open bounties on several of the group's senior commanders.

It has carried out major attacks including the September 2013 Westgate shopping mall attack (71 deaths), October 2017 Mogadishu bombings (587 deaths) and December 2019 Mogadishu bombing (over 85 deaths).