Somalia’s defence ministry says its armed forces have killed 27 al Shabaab militants, including senior figures, during a coordinated military operation carried out with international support.

The Somali National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) said Saturday that it carried out twin operations against the al-Shabaab terror group in the central regions, killing more than 22 terrorists.

The UN Security Council on Friday unanimously renewed the mandate of the panel overseeing sanctions on Somalia-based Al-Shabaab, extending measures to curb the terror group’s operations.

Shabaab, Al Qaeda's branch in East Africa, has taken control of two towns in central Somalia over the past week.

Somalia’s Danab special forces have eliminated more than 37 al-Shabaab terrorists in a village west of Buulo Xaaji in the southern region of Lower Jubba, according to the Defense Ministry.

At least 25 al-Shabaab terrorists were killed in precision airstrikes carried out by the Somali military targeting the group's positions in the Lower Juba region, the Defense Ministry announced on Wednesday.

Somali authorities have eliminated more than 40 members of the radical group Al-Shabaab.