The Somali special troops killed a commander of the radical Islamic group Al-Shabab and 13 other members of that movement during an operation in the southern state of Jubaland, a military source informed on Monday.

The commander of the 5th Brigade of the National Army, Arab Dheeg Ahmed, declared that the high-ranking chief of the extremist group and his subordinates were killed in the village of Turdho, in the city of Lower Jubba, when they were coordinating violent actions in that territory.

Ahmed reported that following the operation against the insurgents, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud called on the military forces to continue their offensive to drive the extremists out of Jubaland and other regions.

Since it was dislodged in 2011 from the capital, Mogadishu, Al-Shabab has controlled large areas in central and southern Somalia, although it has recently lost territory due to joint onslaughts by the army and the African Union Transition Mission.