The African Union's deputy special representative for Somalia says African Union (AU) forces have gained control over nearly half of the districts of Mogadishu, Press TV reported.
"Our troops now control a large part of Mogadishu, and we will continue capturing more bases. Our target is to seize 50% of Mogadishu by the end of this month," Wafula Wamunyinyi told reporters in Nairobi on Friday, AllAfrica.com reported.
He added, "Our troops have established nine new bases in Somalia's capital over the last several months."
The AU has about 7,200 soldiers in Somalia fighting al-Shabab and other militants groups.
Some other African nations have said they are ready to send soldiers to Somalia, with Burundi prepared to send 1,000 soldiers and Guinea likely to commit 2,000 troops.
Wamunyinyi made the remarks following several days of bloody clashes in Mogadishu that have claimed dozens of lives.
Somalia has not had a functioning government since 1991, when warlords overthrew former dictator Mohamed Siad Barre.
Over the past two decades, up to one million people have lost their lives in the fighting between rival factions and due to famine and disease.
There are more than 1.4 million internally displaced people (IDPs) in Somalia. More than 300,000 IDPs are sheltering in Mogadishu alone.
Most of the displaced live in poor and degrading conditions on makeshift sites in southern and central Somalia, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.