Residents: Dead bodies lay inside African Union military base after Somalia attack

MOGADISHU, Somalia – A day after Islamic extremists overran an African Union military base in Somalia, residents of a nearby town were describing what they saw during the attack and its aftermath.

The attack early Tuesday happened next to the small farming town of Janale. No official death toll has been given.

Janale residents said Wednesday they saw dead bodies inside the base. Ahmed Yasin told The Associated Press by phone that masked al-Shabab fighters ran to the base, which they surrounded, removing razor wire and sand-filled blast walls.

He said chants of "God is great" were heard amid the bursts of gunfire, a thunderous blast and other explosions. He said he saw at least nine dead soldiers inside the base, which was later looted by Janale residents.