Islamic extremists bomb base in Somalia, many dead

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Islamic militants from the Al-Qaida-linked Al-Shabab group attacked a remote African Union base in Somalia on Friday, causing many casualties, said the AU mission and a local official.

In a tweet, the African Union mission confirmed there had been an early morning attack on their outpost in Lego, but did not provide any further details.

Mohammed Haji, an official in the Lower Shabelle region told The Associated Press by telephone that militants attacked the base entrance with a suicide car bomb before gunmen began their assault.

“They managed to infiltrate the entrance after the blast — it was a complex attack,” said. He estimated that up to 25 combatants may have been killed, but there was no way to verify his claim. Other reports spoke of at least nine dead.

Al-Shabab group, which vowed it would step up attacks during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, claimed responsibility for the attack.

On Wednesday, nine people were killed after a suicide bomber tried to ram his explosives-laden car into a convoy of vehicles transporting Emirati diplomats in the Somali capital of Mogadishu.

The militants, who have ties with al-Qaida, have been pushed out of much of the territory they once controlled across the Horn of Africa nation, including Mogadishu. But they remain a lethal threat, carrying out guerrilla attacks on government and civilian targets.