Al-Shabaab Claims Killing Scores of African Union Troops in Somalia Attack

Militants from the Islamist group al-Shabaab overran early Tuesday a base of the African Union (AU) Mission in Somalia, killing "scores" of personnel, the al-Jazeera news network reported.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The channel cited an unnamed spokesman for the al-Qaeda linked group as saying jihadists had targeted the AU military base in the town of Janale, south of the capital city Mogadishu. There was no immediate word on the exact number of victims.

Local residents reportedly confirmed the attack. They told al-Jazeera that militants had stormed the compound on a bomb-laden car, followed by heavily-armed gunmen.

Al-Shabaab seeks to overthrow the Somali government and impose a strict version of Islam in the country. It has claimed responsibility for numerous attacks in Somalia and at the border towns of Kenya.