At least four people were killed, including three Transitional Federal Government (TFG) soldiers, and five other wounded when a roadside bomb targeted a TFG vehicle in Bakara junction of Hodan district Friday morning, an official and eye witness said.
“It was a huge explosion; I saw three bodies of TFG soldiers and one woman who had a tea shop near the junction. The vehicle was completely destroyed by the blast,” witness Mohamed Da’ud Muudey told Somalia Report. “Minutes after TFG security forces arrived on the scene and rushed away the bodies of their colleagues and one injured soldier; also we helped four civilians who were injured.”
Another witness said that the explosion seemed to come from within the TFG vehicle, which he was told was carrying and IED found in Bakara that morning.
The TFG chairman in Hodan district, Abdi Mohamed Dhabanney, pointed the finger at the obvious suspects, al-Shabaab.
“This is the behavior of the terrorists, they killed Somali people and they are happy doing that,” he told Somalia Report. “We are investigating.”
Al-Shabaab did not immediately claim responsibility.
This is the third bomb blast this week as al-Shabaab steps up its campaign to cause maximum damage to pro-government forces in Mogadishu.
Meanwhile, at least three people were killed as TFG and African Union Peacekeepers, known as AMISOM, continued to battle al-Shabaab in Karaan district for a third day.
“About 7am we heard the fierce fighting and I saw in front of my house al-Shabaab fighters carrying their black flag and shouting Allahu Akbar,” Karaan resident Ismail Addow told Somalia Report. “Over the last few days the fighting in this area is constant as al-Shabaab attacks government bases every night.”
Colonel Mohamed Mohamud Sanney, TFG military officer, claimed that three al-Shabaab fighters had been killed, although it was not possible to independently verify his statement.