Al-Shabaab fighters storm Somalia military base

Al-Shabaab fighters stormed a military base outside Somalia's capital Mogadishu, on Saturday, with casualties reported, military officers and witnesses said.

The early-morning raid occurred in Busley, 40 kilometres (25 miles) from Mogadishu, where Somalia security forces have set up temporary bases for operations against Al-Shabaab-dominated villages in the region, according to security sources.

The assault comes after Al-Shabaab gunmen attacked a hotel near the presidential palace in Mogadishu on March 14, killing three people.

Mohamed Adan, a military officer in the nearby district of Afgoye, said heavy fighting had erupted after "terrorists" attacked the Busley base.

"They blew up a vehicle loaded with explosives in the early morning before the gunmen engaged in a face-to-face armed confrontation with security forces," Adan told AFP.

"The Somali army defended their position, and several soldiers, including a commander, were confirmed dead," he added.

"The desperate terrorists also ambushed a reinforcement military convoy along the road near Dhanaane, but they lost a dozen fighters" in the incident, Adan said, adding that Somali forces were now back in control of the area.

The Al-Qaeda affiliated group claimed in a statement that its fighters had overrun the Busley base and that among those killed was the base commander.

The claims could not be independently verified and the Somali government has made no official comment on the attack.

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