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At least 56 fighters have been killed in clashes between rival groups in central Somalia.
Al-Shabab and allied fighters from Hizb ul-Islam were trying to capture the town of Wabho from the pro-government group Ahlu Sunna Wal-Jama'ah.
After an intense battle with mortars and machine-guns on Friday, both sides claimed to be in control of the town in the Galgudud region, about 400km north of the capital Mogadishu.
Fighters spoke of dozens of dead, and the local Elman Peace and Human Rights Organization said it had confirmed 56 fighters killed and dozens more injured.
Contradicting claims
Sheikh Musa Arale, a spokesman for Hizb ul-Islam, said: "We have killed many of them and we lost several mujahidin. We have taken control of Wabho village and captured several armored vehicles from the enemy forces."
Muktar Fidow, a commander of Ahlu Sunna Wal-Jama'ah, dismissed the claim.
"Nobody has full control of Wabho at the moment and heavy fighting is ongoing. They have suffered heavy losses and so have we," he said.
Towns in central Somalia have been changing hands regularly between rival factions in on-off fighting throughout the year.
Meanwhile, the United Nations refugee agency said the number of people forced to flee their homes during a month of fighting in Mogadishu, the capital, neared 100,000, adding to one million already displaced across the country.
Three million Somalis need urgent food aid.
Aid agencies say Somalia has one of the world's worst, and most neglected, humanitarian crises.
PHOTO CAPTION
A Somali fighter mans a position in the Tribune area in Hodan district.
Al-Jazeera
