Al-Shabab militants have stormed an African Union military base in southern Somalia, Sky news reported Friday.

The militants detonated a car bomb at the gate of the base, located about 550 km west of Mogadishu, said a well-placed source with the Somali army.

The militants then stormed the base and clashed with the forces inside the base, the source said.

For his part, Al-Shabab military spokesman Abdiaziz Abo Mosab said his group has taken "complete control" of the AU camp.

Kenya contributes more than 4,000 troops to the 22,000-strong AU force that is in Somalia helping the UN-backed government battle al-Shabab, which is part of al-Qaeda terrorist group.

Source: MENA