In an interview with VOA's Somali Service, an AU spokesman said three attackers drove a truck filled with explosives toward a new AU peacekeeping base Tuesday, prompting soldiers to open fire.
The spokesman, Major Barigye Ba-Huko, says AU forces destroyed the truck before it reached its target, killing all three people inside. He says two soldiers were wounded when the explosion went off.
Major Ba-Huko says the AU mission had received information about a possible attack on the new base about three days ago and peacekeepers were ready for it.
The Associated Press says the al-Qaida linked rebel group al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Al-Shabab and other Islamic insurgent groups control much of Mogadishu along with large parts of southern and central Somalia. The groups are fighting to impose a strict form of sharia, or Islamic law, on the country.
AU peacekeepers from Uganda and Burundi are supporting the government and frequently clash with the insurgents.
War-torn Somalia has not had a stable central government since 1991.
* You can listen to the full interview of the AMISOM spokesperson gave to Harun Maruf from the audio link.
