The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) said the Somali forces pushed back the militants who seized the town on Friday after an attack on the Somali army base there.
AMISOM troops are helping the Somali government battle Al-Shabaab militants.
AMISOM force spokesperson, Joe Kibet, confirmed to Xinhua that the Somali National Army (SNA) recaptured El-Wak early Saturday.
Kibet said the militants seized several weapons, including machine guns, but suffered heavy casualties in the Friday attack.