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| Somalia attack: Al-Shabab attacks African Union Janale base | Somalia attack: Al-Shabab attacks African Union Janale base |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Fighters from the al-Shabab militant Islamist group have overrun an African Union military base in southern Somalia, inflicting heavy casualties, witnesses have told the BBC. | Fighters from the al-Shabab militant Islamist group have overrun an African Union military base in southern Somalia, inflicting heavy casualties, witnesses have told the BBC. |
| The militants said they have killed 70 AU soldiers at the Janale base, 90km (55 miles) south-east of the capital. | The militants said they have killed 70 AU soldiers at the Janale base, 90km (55 miles) south-east of the capital. |
| AU forces have insisted they are still in control of the base. | AU forces have insisted they are still in control of the base. |
| Al-Shabab, part of al-Qaeda, is battling the AU-backed government for control of Somalia. | Al-Shabab, part of al-Qaeda, is battling the AU-backed government for control of Somalia. |
| Residents said the attack started with a suicide car bombing at the base's gate, followed by sustained gunfire which lasted more than an hour. | Residents said the attack started with a suicide car bombing at the base's gate, followed by sustained gunfire which lasted more than an hour. |
| They told the BBC Somali service that AU forces were seen leaving the base, which is run by the Ugandan troops. | |
| The militants damaged a nearby bridge with a massive bomb to prevent troops from escaping, Col Ahmed Hassan from the Somali army told the Associated Press. | The militants damaged a nearby bridge with a massive bomb to prevent troops from escaping, Col Ahmed Hassan from the Somali army told the Associated Press. |
| He also said the militants had seized the base. | He also said the militants had seized the base. |
| Captain Bilow Idow, a Somali military officer based in a town near Janale, said the base had been effectively cut off. | |
| "No reinforcement can reach there," Reuters news agency quotes him as saying. "There is much death and damage." | |
| However, the AU mission in Somalia (Amisom) denied it had lost control of the base, without mentioning any casualties. | |
| In June, the group overran another African Union base in Lego, a small town in the Lower Shabelle region in southern Somalia, killing dozens of soldiers and seizing military equipments. | In June, the group overran another African Union base in Lego, a small town in the Lower Shabelle region in southern Somalia, killing dozens of soldiers and seizing military equipments. |
| Despite losing most of its key strongholds in south and central Somalia, al-Shabab continues to carry out attacks on the government and African Union troops across the country. | Despite losing most of its key strongholds in south and central Somalia, al-Shabab continues to carry out attacks on the government and African Union troops across the country. |
| The militants also stage frequent suicide attacks inside the capital, Mogadishu. | The militants also stage frequent suicide attacks inside the capital, Mogadishu. |