African Union forces supporting the Somali government say they have seized an area near the capital from Islamist militant group al-Shabab.

A spokesman for the AU force, known as AMISOM, told VOA that al-Shabab was driven from the Daynile district Friday.

“AMISOM conducted an operation, and the objective was to capture district of Daynile. We have captured it successfully, including Daynile hospital…. and we are now operating farther forward to get the Daynile airfield.”

The spokesman, Paddy Ankunda, predicted AMISOM would capture the airfield as well, and plans to attack other al-Shabab strongholds in the coming days.

He said one AU soldier was killed in Friday's fighting, and four others injured. A local VOA reporter put the overall death toll at six.

Al-Shabab once controlled most of southern and central Somalia, including most of Mogadishu, but has been pushed out of the capital by AU and Somali government forces.

The al-Qaida-linked group is also facing pressure from Ethiopian troops in central Somalia, and Kenyan troops in the south.

The militant group is trying to overthrow the U.N.-backed Somali government and impose a harsh version of Islamic law on the country.