The attacker drove the vehicle into the “Ex-control Afgoye” checkpoint, a well-known junction that links the south of Somalia to the capital
MOGADISHU, SOMALIA| On Saturday a massive car bomb exploded at a busy street on the outskirts of Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, according to Abdulkadir Abdirahman Adan, founder of a local free ambulance service. Left at least 76 people dead and 70 more injured.
Over 60 killed from truck bomb in #Mogadishu#Somalia pic.twitter.com/eC0hGXAdiZ
— Ruptly (@Ruptly) December 28, 2019
Earlier, government spokesman Ismael Mukhtar while talking to CNN said that the attacker drove his vehicle into the “Ex-control Afgoye” checkpoint, a well-known junction that links the south of Somalia to the capital.
The attack took place during rush hour in the Somali capital at about 8 AM as per the local time, and both civilians and soldiers are among the dead, police report. Government spokesman Ismael Mukhtar added that university students were also amongst the death heads.
Police conduct security searches at the checkpoint, but there is also a taxation office located nearby and the area is heavily populated with civilians and security forces. Police have warned that the death toll could rise as many of the wounded have been rushed to hospitals.
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu confirmed two Turkish citizens had died in the attack.
“May Allah’s mercy be upon our 2 citizens and innocent Somali brothers & sisters who lost their lives in the heinous terrorist attack,” Çavuşoğlu wrote on his Twitter account. He added Turkey would continue to stand with Somalia in the fight against terror.
Al-Shabaab has claimed responsibility for the attack. Since 2006, the Al-Qaeda-affiliated terror group has carried out repeated attacks in Mogadishu against different targets killing international aid workers, journalists, civilian leaders and peacekeepers as well as Somalia’s government and military targets.
It wants to turn Somalia into a fundamentalist Islamic state, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. Two weeks ago, at least five people were killed after the group attacked a hotel popular with lawmakers and security officials in the Somali capital.
In February, the group claimed responsibility for a car bombing at a crowded shopping mall that left at least 10 dead. It was also behind three car bombings last November that killed at least 52 people with about 100 more injured.
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