At least 45 people have been killed and several others sustained injuries when a pair of car bombings, carried out by the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab terrorist group, hit the Somali capital of Mogadishu, police say.
At least 45 people have been killed and several others sustained injuries when a pair of car bombings, carried out by the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab terrorist group, hit the Somali capital of Mogadishu, police say.
Both attacks were carried out almost simultaneously in two different parts of the capital on Friday afternoon, police said, adding that the first explosives-laden car went off after militants breached a checkpoint near the president’s residence, the Villa Somalia, by shooting at security guards.
“The militants got off when they neared the palace, the … car bomb exploded outside the palace where there were many military soldiers who guarded the street adjacent to the palace,” said Major Omar Abdullahi.
The second blast took place when another explosives-ridden vehicle, parked in front of a hotel away from the palace, detonated.
“Another car loaded with explosives went off close to a recently opened hotel,” said police officer Ibrahim Mohamed.
Initial reports had put the death toll at 18, but Reuters later cited an unnamed Somali official as saying on Saturday that “the death toll from last night’s blasts has risen to 45, and 36 others were injured.”
