At least two Somali soldiers were killed and two others injured in a fierce fighting with al-Shabab militants in Hiraan region of central Somalia on Tuesday.

Farah Koshin, Somali National Army (SNA) commander for continent 5 in Hiraan region, confirmed that two soldiers were killed and two others injured after a landmine hit one of their convoys heading to Bula-burte town in the region.

Koshin however said that the soldiers backed by African Union troops had destroyed al-Shabab militants' network in the area.

"There are heavy casualties on the enemy side and we have destroyed al-Shabab militants' network who were fighting with us. The enemy attacked us with 34 explosions, but only one hit one of our convoys," Koshin said.

Koshin said that the security operations are aimed at liberating and opening key roads between major towns in central and southern regions.