MOGADISHU: A Somali official says African Union troops mistakenly opened fire on a religious school while pursuing militants, killing five children and two adults.

Dahir Amin Jesow, a member of the Somali parliament who visited Leggo village, the scene of the attack, said Wednesday all five children were less than 10 years old.

Jesow says the attack in the village 75 miles (120 kilometers) west of the Somali capital, Mogadishu, took place at around 3 a.m. Tuesday. Students of Islamic schools often attend class in the early morning.

Jesow say AU soldiers were earlier attacked by militants. The African Union Mission for Somalia says it is investigating the incident. AU troops are in Somalia to bolster the country's weak government, which is facing an insurgency from Al-Qaeda-linked militants.