Somalia Bombing: Two Blasts, Gun Fire Heard in Mogadishu

Local Editor

A suicide car bomb exploded meters away from the presidential palace in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu on Saturday and smoke was seen rising above the scene of the explosion although it was unclear who was behind the blast, police said.

“A car bomb exploded ... it is too early to know (the) casualty,” Major Mohamed Hussein, a police officer, told Reuters moments after blast.

A second blast occurred, opposite a police building, minutes after a suicide car bombing occurred near the presidential palace, a police official told Reuters.

“A second blast occurred outside Sayidka Hotel which is opposite the police building where the first blast took place,” Major Nur Ali, a police officer told Reuters. A Reuters witness heard the second blast and saw the huge clouds of smoke rising above the scene.

The Somali police have cordoned off all the roads leading to the blast site. Several ambulances and fire brigades have arrived at the scene.

The al-Shabaab terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

According to Goobjoog News, the explosion was reportedly a suicide bombing, in which a vehicle was loaded with explosives.

Earlier it was reported that a powerful explosion occurred at a checkpoint in the center of Mogadishu; shots were heard amid reports that a number of people, mostly government workers, were trapped in the ministry on what had been a normal business day.

Three gunmen were believed to be holed up inside the ministry, Hussein said as shooting could be heard in the background.

Earlier in June, one American soldier was killed and four others were reportedly injured in an attack carried out by terrorist group al-Shabaab.

Somalia has suffered from multiple terrorist attacks with dozens of people dying and dozens injured almost every month.

Four local officials were killed in April by militants from the al-Shabab group in an attack on a base for African Union troops in country's south.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team