NAIROBI, Kenya – An African Union Mission in Somalia spokesman says five militants have died after attacking the AU base in the capital, Mogadishu.
Somali extremist group al-Shabab said Thursday they were responsible for the attack and were targeting a Christmas party at the base, which also houses embassy and U.N. offices.
AMISOM spokesman Col. Ali Aden Houmed told The Associated Press at least eight men entered the base, and that three of them were shot dead, two detonated themselves near a fuel depot and three are believed to have escaped.
Houmed says some African Union soldiers may have died in the fighting but did not give details.
AU troops are bolstering Somalia’s weak government against an insurgency from the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab.
Al-Shabab was pushed out of Mogadishu in 2011 by AU forces.
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