African Union repels al-Shabab attack, killing more than 100 Islamist militants

MOGADISHU, Somalia, June 9 (UPI) -- 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.