UPDATED THURSDAY NOVEMBER 24 WITH TEN ARRESTS
A remote-controlled bomb exploded near Bishaar mosque during evening prayers on Wednesday in northern Galkayo, the regional capital of Mudug region controlled by Somalia's semi-autonomous state of Puntland, and killed one civilian and injured two others.
‘’The remote controlled explosive device went off outside a Sufi mosque. The three civilians who were injured were taken to the hospital,‘’ Abdirashid Cadced, a police officer in Mudug region told Somalia Report.
Cadced added that Puntland police arrived at the scene and began their investigation.
‘’The incident occurred at 7:00pm local time when explosion hit outside the mosque in north Galkayo,‘’ Mohamud Abdirahman, a witness in Galkayo, told Somalia Report.
Others reported the blast occurred at a civilian security base next to the mosque in Israac village and the local guards arrested three suspects.
"We seized three attackers who tried to escape," a civilian security officer told Somalia Report on the condition of anonymity.
Although no suspects have been named, many believe it was the al-Shabaab insurgent group battle for control of Somalia or part of the clan violence that has gripped the city in recent days.
At least 10 people were arrested after overnight operations, an official said.
“The police have been patrolling the villages the whole night and captured the suspects,” said Mohamud Ali Jama, a Puntland official. “We suspected them of being al-Shabaab because the militia groups who are also against the peace usually kill people but do not carry out explosions in mosques.”
Meanwhile one soldier of Galmudug state administration and one civilian were killed by masked faced gunmen in southern Galkayo today, witnesses told Somalia Report.