(Press TV) — Landmine explosions have killed more than 12 Ethiopian Woyanne troops, and eight Somali government soldiers, in the war-torn East African nation.

Anti- Ethiopian Woyanne groups detonated a massive landmine in Towfiikh district, killing at least eight soldiers, and destroying their vehicle, Press TV correspondent in Somalia reported on Monday.

Elsewhere, at least four Ethiopian Woyanne soldiers were killed and more than 10 others injured in southern Mogadishu when their vehicles hit land mines near a military base.

In another incident on Monday, at least six Somali government troops were killed as their vehicle exploded by a land mine, near the Adan Adde International airport in Mogadishu. More than two other Somali soldiers were also killed in attacks in Mogadishu’s Buulo Hubey.

Meanwhile, security forces have arrested at least 25 civilians for unknown reasons in Baidoa.

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Three civilians killed in Somalia attack

MOGADISHU (AFP) — At least three civilians were killed Monday when Islamist insurgents attacked an Ethiopian Woyanne military convoy south of Mogadishu, witnesses said.

“Heavily armed insurgents ambushed an Ethiopian Woyanne military convoy that left Afgoye and the attack occurred between Lego and Jameo,” local resident Hussein Abdullahi told AFP by telephone.

Lego is a small town around 110 kilometres (70 miles) south of the capital.

“The Ethiopian Woyanne forces killed three civilians after the attack and their dead bodies were brought here in Yakbiriweyne,” Abdullahi said.

“We heard an intense gunbattle that lasted for about 35 minutes just after the Ethiopian Woyanne military convoy passed through our village,” said Madkarin Moalim Nur, another resident.

“There were casualties (among the fighters) but we could not confirm a figure except the three civilians that the Ethiopians Woyanne killed in a nearby village after the attack,” he explained.

Sheikh Abdirahim Ali Ise, a spokesman for the insurgents, claimed responsibility for the ambush and said Ethiopian Woyanne troops were killed.

“Our forces ambushed a military convoy of Ethiopian Woyanne invaders near Lego. We destroyed three of the trucks and killed many of them,” he said. No separate confirmation of this claim was available.