Early Saturday morning, a truck bomb exploded at a busy security checkpoint in Somali's capital Mogadishu. The attack left 73 dead and dozens injured. Though no group has claimed responsibility, al-Qaeda linked al-Shabab is suspected to have carried out the attacks as a similar incident at Mogadishu, two years back, killed more than 500.
Deadly bomb attack targeting Somalian capital
Toda's deadly bomb attack has so far taken a toll of 73 lives but the number is expected to rise, government spokesman Ismail Mukhtar told The Associated Press. The injured have been taken to city's Medina Hospital.
Most of those killed, were university students returning to class, Mayor Omar Mohamud Mohamed told reporters. Among those killed were two Turkish nationals and several Somali police officers. The government has confirmed that 91 people have been injured, the mayor added.
The attack targeted a tax collection center in the morning rush hour, Captain Mohamed Hussein said in a statement.
Who was responsible for the ghastly attack?
Though no group has claimed responsibility, al-Qaida-linked Islamist group al-Shabab that controls parts of central and southern Somalia and seeking to topple the UN-backed government, has often carried out such attacks.
The group was held responsible for the 2017 car bomb blast at a hotel in Mogadishu, that killed 587. The group was forced out of Mogadishu several years ago but it continues to carry out attacks in sensitive regions such as security check-points. The group is now equipped to make "weapons of its choice," United Nations experts monitoring sanctions on Somalia said earlier this year.
The attack again raises concern about the readiness of Somali forces to take over responsibility for the country's security from an African Union force in the coming months. Somalia, the Horn of Africa, has been ridden by conflict, since 1991, when clan overlords overthrew dictator Siad Barre, then turned on each other.
