Somalia’s Al-Qaeda linked Shebab insurgents shot and blasted their way into the United Nations compound in Mogadishu Wednesday, leaving eight people dead in the most serious attack on the UN in the troubled country in recent years

Somalia's Al-Qaeda linked Shebab insurgents shot and blasted their way into the United Nations compound in Mogadishu Wednesday, leaving eight people dead in the most serious attack on the UN in the troubled country in recent years.

At least three foreigners in the UN compound died in the attack, along with at least two Somali security guards and three civilians in the surrounding streets, AFP quoted officials as saying.

Somali Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon condemned the brazen daylight raid as a "senseless and despicable attack on innocent UN civilians", while UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was "shocked".

Shebab fighters, who boasted about the killings, used both a car bomb and suicide attackers to blast their way into the fortified base in central Mogadishu near the airport.

Police said at least seven Shebab took part in attack, all of whom are reported to have to either detonated suicide vests or been shot dead.

Security warnings of an attack have been in place for weeks, and UN staff regularly practice sheltering in a secure bunker inside the compound.

"Our commandos attacked the UN compound... we set off an explosion and entered the compound," a senior Shebab official told AFP, saying they entered to attack "the infidel forces."

Somali and African Union troops later moved into the complex -- despite the
Islamists battling back with heavy gunfire -- to end the hour and an half siege.

“The situation is under control... Somali soldiers along with African Union forces stormed the compound and killed the attackers," said Somali police official Abdulahi Osman.

He said three civilians were confirmed killed, caught in the crossfire in the streets near the compound.

UN sources said one staff member and two contractors were killed along with at least two Somali security guards, although the nationalities of the foreigners could not be immediately confirmed.

The UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) said the compound -- home to
UN humanitarian agencies -- had come under "complex attack".

UN sources said a car bomb had been detonated shortly before midday (0900
GMT), followed shortly by another blast, believed to have been a suicide bomber.

An AFP reporter near the scene of the attack reported heavy gunfire after a series of initial explosions, as the fighters battled with security forces.