Deaths in al-Shabab attack on AU Somali base At least three African Union soldiers, five fighters and one civilian killed in attack in Mogadishu.

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Deaths in al-Shabab attack on AU Somali base

At least three African Union soldiers, five fighters and one civilian killed in attack in Mogadishu. Last updated: 25 Dec 2014 22:02

Africa

Deaths in al-Shabab attack on AU Somali base

At least three African Union soldiers, five fighters and one civilian killed in attack in Mogadishu. Last updated: 25 Dec 2014 22:02

The AMISOM headquarters is located within the high-security compound of Mogadishu airport [AFP]

Gunmen attacked the African Union's main base in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, leading to an exchange of gunfire between armed men and soldiers that left nine people killed. Among the dead in Thursday's attack were three AU soldiers and one civilian, the AU mission - known as AMISOM - said in a statement. At least five of the attackers were reported killed and three others were captured. The armed Somali group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack and said they were targeting a Christmas party at the base, which also houses embassies and UN offices. At least eight men entered the AU base near the Mogadishu airport, AU Mission in Somalia spokesman Colonel Ali Aden Houmed told the Associated Press news agency. Maman S Sidikou, head of AMISOM, responds to al-Shabab's latest attack. He said the base was now calm. "Our forces shot dead three of them, two detonated themselves near a fuel depot, and three are believed to have escaped," he said. Maman S Sidikou, head of AMISOM, told Al Jazeera that the force is worried and will act very quickly to the new tactics being used by al-Shabab. Before further investigations the AU will take the measures required to prevent any such events happening again. "This is not only the Somali governments' battle of war, this is a global war. This is also a war of the countries in the region: Ethiopia, Kenya, also some countries from West Africa," Sidikou said. Strong explosions The AU force said all of its personnel as well as UN staff were unharmed in the attack, disputing claims from an al-Shabab spokesman. "Our fighters are inside the headquarters of the foreign troops in Somalia," al-Shabab spokesman Abdulaziz Abu Musab told the AFP news agency, also claiming that several African Union soldiers had been killed. Somali police official Abdi Ahmed earlier spoke of strong explosions at the rear entrance to the base and exchanges of gunfire. A Western security source told AFP there had been between 15 and 20 attackers around the base. The AU force headquarters is a fortified structure located on the grounds of the Mogadishu airport, which has also been placed under high security and is home to several embassies. There are currently about 22,000 AU troops as part of the force, deployed since 2007. AU peacekeepers from Uganda, Burundi, Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti have been battling al-Shabab for years and have forced the group out of Mogadishu. However, the fighters continue to carry out deadly attacks in and around Mogadishu.

Source: Al Jazeera and agencies

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