The Somali Armed Forces killed one of the leaders of al-Shabaab militant group near southwestern country's city of Xuddur, local media reported.
Midnimo news website reported Saturday that the militant was killed as a result of joint operation of Somalia's army and the African Union.
The media outlet added that one more senior al-Shabaab militant was captured during the operation.
Somalia has been mired in an armed conflict with Islamist militants for two decades. Its government relies heavily on the African Union's peacekeepers for protection.
The state's collapse in the African nation provided a breeding ground for warlords, pirates and the al-Qaeda affiliated al-Shabaab terrorist group. Al-Shabaab has been staging numerous attacks in Somalia in an attempt to create an Islamic state ruled by Sharia law.