NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Somalia’s government says the al-Shabab extremist group has launched an early morning attack against police and checkpoints on the outskirts of the capital, Mogadishu.

There is no immediate word on the number of deaths following Wednesday's reported assault.

The al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab often targets Mogadishu, and the United Nations and other international observers have warned that the group would take advantage of Somalia’s current election crisis to launch more attacks.

National elections have been delayed for more than a year.