Masagowaay is the hometown of the Somali president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

Local residents said that hundreds of heavily armed al-Shabaab fighters launched a large-scale attack just before dawn on Saturday as government forces briefly resisted before vacating the town.

“They attacked from three different directions. They killed elders and military officers and took vehicles and weapons. Some people are still missing,” said one resident who spoke to Kaab TV.

The attack began with heavy gunfire and explosions exchanged between the two sides.

Al-Shabaab has claimed that its fighters seized the control of the town. But local sources confirm that the militants briefly took over the town and ransacked military base before retreating back.

A video posted on social media shows empty houses and streets.

The militants say they captured weapons and military equipment, including machine-gun mounted vehicles, as they entered the army base.

There are no immediate comments from the Somali military or security officials in the region.

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