Death toll rises to 8 in Mogadishu bombing

By AT editor - 6 April 2017 at 8:16 am
Death toll rises to 8 in Mogadishu bombing

The death toll in a Mogadishu car bombing has risen to eight people, with several others injured.

Radio Shabelle in Somalia said that Wednesday’s explosion at a restaurant in the capital happened near the Ministry of Youth and Sports. The bomb destroyed the Coffee Break restaurant and caused chaos in the crowd.

Police said no one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, but a spokesman blamed al-Shabab extremists and condemned their lack of respect for human life in targeting civilians.

A second blast was reported near the Qatar embassy when an IED hidden in a pile of trash detonated, injuring one person.

These attacks add up to five that have occurred in recent weeks.

In March, 10 people were killed and scores wounded in three separate car bombings. Newly elected President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed was inaugurated on February 22, a political development that was met with a bomb attack just hours after he announced his new cabinet.

Al-Shabab militants have rejected his presidency and vowed to continue their attacks. Despite the successes of AMISOM and UNSOM forces against the Islamist extremists in Mogadishu, they continue to target the city.

Mohamed promises to make security a top priority even as Somalia faces unprecedented climate and humanitarian challenges.

Searing drought and famine have left 2.9 million people in urgent need of food aid and assistance, according to the United Nations.

 

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