"Al-Shabab leader in Adala district and three al-Shabab terrorist were killed in Gaharey, 40 km from Adale," the ministry of information said on Tuesday evening.

The ministry did not provide the identity of the senior al-Shabab leader killed.

There was no an immediate comment from al-Qaida allied group al-Shabab on the latest incident.

Somali forces backed by African Union Mission in Somalia have stepped up operations on al-Shabab in central and southern Somalia, conducting consecutive operations to flush the militants out of those regions.

The group still stages attacks against Somali and African Union peacekeeping forces, targeting their bases, hotels and other public places despite intensified operations from the allied forces.