At least five militants killed Thursday after some gunmen attacked the African Union's main base in the capital, Mogadishu, leading to an exchange of gunfire between militants and soldiers, an official with the mission in Somalia said.
Somali extremist group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack and said they were targeting a Christmas party at the base, which also houses Western embassies and UN offices, the ABC News reported.
At least eight men entered the AU base near the Mogadishu airport, AU Mission in Somalia spokesman Col. Ali Aden Houmed said, adding the base was now calm.
Houmed added that the AMISOM forces shot dead three of them, two detonated themselves near a fuel depot, and the three are believed to have escaped.
Some African Union soldiers may have died in the fighting, Houmed said, but did not give details.
"An investigation is underway on how they entered the base," he said, adding that the attack was launched at a time when people were busy at lunch.
AU troops are bolstering Somalia's weak government against an insurgency from the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab.