African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) said its forces Wednesday thwarted attempts by the Al-Shabaab militants to attack its base in Hiran region in south-west Somalia.

The AU mission said the insurgents who have been fighting the Western-backed government retreated after incurring losses and injures in an attempt to attack the base Jalalaqsi town.

“At around 03:00 today, Al-Shabaab fighters attempted an attack on our base in Jalalaqsi district, approximately 140km south of Beletweyne town,” said the AU mission.

“Our troop’s quick reaction repelled the Al-Shabaab militants who retreated after incurring losses and injuries to their fighters,” it added.

AMISOM, which crossed into the Horn of the African nation in 2007 and which has troops comprised of soldiers from Uganda, Sierra Leone, Burundi, Kenya and Ethiopia have been registering a string of successes against Al-Shabaab militia who had seized much of the central and southern Somalia.

The group which has teamed up with global terror network Al-Qaeda is now vowing an all-out war in AMISOM and Somalia government bases.