African-Union-repels-al-Shabab-attack-killing-more-than-100-Islamist-militants. MOGADISHU, Somalia, More than 100 al-Shabab militants were killed on Thursday when the militant Islamist organization attacked an African Union military base.
The attack occurred in a AU base in the village of Halgan, about 160 miles north of Mogadishu — the Somali capital. Somalia’s Ministry of Defense said at least 120 al-Shabab militants were killed.
“We can confirm there was an attempted Al-Shabab attack on the AMISOM/SNA base in Halgan, Somalia,” African Union Mission In Somalia, or AMISOM, said in a statement. “The enemy was successfully repulsed.”
Andalus, al-Shabab’s official radio station, said its militants killed 43 Ethiopian troops and destroyed the base. Halgan residents said at least five civilians were killed in the fighting.
AMISOM, a 22,000-strong coalition, said it and Somali government troops captured and destroyed weapons including AK-47s, anti-aircraft guns and rocket-propelled grenades. It is the first time an Ethiopian-run AMISOM base has been attacked in the Somali conflict against al-Shabab.
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