Al Shabaab militants attack Somali army base, say dozens dead

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A Somali policeman walks past a damaged car at the scene of the blast near Al Kowsar supermarket in capital Mogadishu December 19, 2015. REUTERS/Feisal Omar TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Al Shabaab and government forces battled for control of a remote army base in Somalia on Friday, after fighters from the militant group said they attacked the compound, killing dozens of soldiers.

The group, which is aligned with al Qaeda, said it took over the base, about 550 km west of Mogadishu after a suicide bomber from the group rammed its gates. It said it was also in control of the small town of Ceel Cado nearby.

It said it killed 61 Kenyan soldiers serving as part of the African Union forces, while other soldiers escaped. The claim could not be independently verified.

In the past, al Shabaab has inflated casualty figures while Kenyan government officials have played them down.