Hundreds of gun-toting Al shabaab militants mounted in pick-ups attacked Afgoye, a town 30 kilometers west of the Somali capital, Mogadishu on Monday afternoon.

The fighters engaged a deadly gunfight with Somali government forces and civilians , before seizing large parts of Afgoye, including police station, according to sources.

Residents saidthey heard intense gunfire as heavily armed militants take up positions and storming government army checkpoints in Afgoye.

At least 12 people, among them two Somali soldiers were killed in the attack. Govt forces retreated towards African Union forces bases in the eastern entrance of the town.