Somalia: Bomb blast in Mogadishu kills 3, wounds 7

By Mohamed Adam

MOGADISHU, Somalia

At least three people were killed and seven wounded by a bomb blast in the capital Mogadishu Thursday morning.

Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack via Radio Andalus, an outlet for the terrorist group.

Eyewitness Farhan Mohamed Hussein, 30, said the bomb targeted a restaurant in the southern Karan district where security forces were present.

“There was blood, pieces of clothing, and shoes scattered around the chaotic scene of the bomb attack,” he told Anadolu Agency.

Capt. Mohamed Husain, a local police officer, confirmed to Anadolu Agency that a landmine explosive blasted an area close to the livestock market in the district.

“The explosive was planted near a restaurant frequented by Somali government forces and local government authorities, and the blast killed three people and wounded seven civilians,” he said.

Officials at the main district hospital Keysaney, speaking on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking with the media, confirmed it had received seven wounded and two people dead on arrival. All those fatalities were reportedly civilians – including two pregnant women.

Al-Shabaab has carried out a number of attacks in Mogadishu targeting Somali security forces and government officials, and this is the fourth blast in the capital this month.

Separately, al-Shabaab also claimed responsibility for seven mortar attacks Thursday targeting the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) headquarters in Mogadishu’s protected Halane compound. Two of the mortar shells reportedly hit a residential area in Bula Hubay.