Saturday October 21, 2023
Mogadishu (HOL) - At least six people, including four government soldiers, were killed, and nine others were wounded in a car bombing in Elasha Biyaha, approximately 15 km south of Mogadishu on Friday morning.
The Somali police spokesperson, Sadiq Doodishe, told local reporters in Mogadishu that the car bomb was en route to Mogadishu, but government forces thwarted the attack on the capital's outskirts. He added that the car bomb exploded at a military checkpoint in the area.
The bombing targeted soldiers who were assigned to intercept
al-Shabab car bombs.
The spokesperson emphasized that this was the fifth time government forces had prevented vehicles loaded with explosives from entering Mogadishu. Images from the explosion scene depict significant damage caused by the blast, with civilian homes also affected.
The Al-Shabaab group claimed to have killed 49 government soldiers during the attack, but HOL has not confirmed these claims.
The attack occurred one day after security forces intercepted a vehicle carrying military supplies, fuel, and food bound for Al-Shabaab militants during a planned operation in the Dawacoley village, located between Hindhere and Gadon towns in the Galgaduud region on Friday.