MOGADISHU, Sept. 29 -- Somalia's security forces on Friday killed 18 Al-Shabaab militants who had earlier attacked a military base in Barire in southern part of the Horn of Africa nation.

The Somalia National Army (SNA) commander in the region Shegow Ahmed said six government soldiers including a senior commander were killed in the attack after a suicide bomber rammed explosive-laden vehicle in the military base.

"Al-Shabaab militants attacked our base from three directions, east, south and north and we resisted and heavy fighting broke out which lasted several hours, we killed 18 Al-Shabaab militants on the spot," Ahmed said.

"Then they attacked us with car bomb bombs. We lost six men and six others injured," Ahmed added.

The militants who claimed to have killed 17 soldiers said they overran the military camp and took away several technical vehicles, a claim denied by Ahmed.

The al-Qaida-linked terror group claimed victory and said the attack was a revenge for the latest civilians killed in airstrike by Somali and U.S. forces.