Car Bomb Kills At Least 9 in Somalia

At least nine people, including children, died in a twin-car bomb attack targeting Somalia’s education ministry in the capital Mogadishu.

Two cars packed with explosives were detonated minutes apart near the busy Zobe junction and followed by gunfire,

“I was among the first security officers to reach the area, I saw dead bodies of nine people most of them civilians including women and children,” said security officer Ahmed Ali, adding that dozens had been wounded.

Another security officer Yusuf Abdullahi gave a similar toll.

Police spokesman, Sadik Dudishe did not give a death toll figure but said the incident was being investigated.

“The ruthless terrorists killed mothers. Some of them died with their children trapped on their backs,” he told reporters at a press briefing, adding the attackers had targeted “students and other civilians”.

The Islamist group al-Shabab frequently carries out such attacks but it has yet to say if it was responsible for today’s explosions.

BARRONS/CO