MOGADISHU, July 27 (Xinhua) -- Somali soldiers on Friday killed six al-Shabab militants and injured several others during an operation near Wajid, a town in the southwest Bakool region, officials said.

"Southwest State Special Forces killed senior al-Shabab official Moalim Derow and five other fighters," Security Minister for Southwest State in Somalia Hassan Hussein Mohamed told reporters.

"Several others were injured and the forces recovered eight AK-47 rifles at Lafale location near Wajid district in Bakool region this morning," he added.

The military operations to flush out militants would continue, Mohamed said.