MOGADISHU - Somalia's al Shabaab fighters attacked a military base outside the capital Mogadishu using car bombs and guns, killing 17 soldiers and taking control of the base and a nearby town, the group said on Friday.
Residents and officials confirmed the attack, but gave no details on casualties.
"After morning prayer today, two Mujahideen rammed into Barire military base with suicide car bombs. We killed 17 soldiers and took seven technical vehicles," Abdiasis Abu Musab, al Shabaab’s military operation spokesman told Reuters on Friday, referring to pick-up trucks mounted with machine guns.
"The other soldiers ran helter skelter into the woods. We now control the base and the village."
Barire is 50 km (30 miles) southwest of Mogadishu.