At least 18 dead as two car bomb blasts claimed by al-Shabaab in Somali capital

News24xx.com -  A suicide car bomb blast followed by gunfire has left at least 18 people dead and wounded 20 others in the Somali capital, Mogadishu.

A loud explosion was reported on Friday, February 23, 2018 followed by a second explosion and continuous shot that erupted near the president's residence.

Amamination Service Aamin, who confirmed the death toll, took the victim to the hospital.

The al-Shabab armed group claimed responsibility for the attack.

"As far as we know, there was an explosion next to the presidential palace, and another near the popular hotel," Major Mohamed Ahmed, a police officer, told local media.

The attack came a day after the Somali government issued a "terror warning" in the capital.

The blast destroyed a month-long period of calm in Mogadishu, which is often targeted by al-Shabab attacks.

In December, 18 police officers were killed when an al-Shabab fighter blew himself up inside the country's main police academy in Mogadishu.

The capital was also the target of a truck bombing in October that killed 512 people in the deadliest attack in Somali history. The Somali government blames the blast on al-Qaeda linked to al-Shabab.

 

 

 

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