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MOGADISHU, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) says its troops killed at least seven militants and injured 11 others in an ambush by Islamist group Al-Shabaab in the southern Somali town of Janale on Tuesday.
An AMISOM statement said the exchange of fire took place when the Al-Shabaab militants ambushed its troops in the evening.
Local residents said several rounds of mortar shells hit the town's center and nearby suburbs, causing the death of the militants.
There was no immediate comment from Al-Shabaab, which has been fighting against the Somali government for years.
Al-Shabaab militants overran an AMISOM military base in Janale last year and several soldiers were reportedly killed in the attack.
AMISOM troops are helping the Somali army battle Al-Shabaab, which carries out frequent attacks in Somalia and has vowed to disrupt the country's forthcoming elections slated for October and November. Enditem
