Africa-Press – Ethiopia. The Al-Shabaab Islamist group detonated a bomb on Tuesday moments after a presidential convoy passed by in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu, destroying a building and damaging cars.
Government sources said President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was travelling to Hirshabelle state, where the army is reportedly planning a major offensive against Al-Shabaab.
“The explosion went off along the road in Hamar-Jajab area, destroying a civilian-populated building,” a security official said.
“The convoy of the president passed… and we heard a very heavy explosion,” witness Nurto Ali said, adding he saw one man buried under rubble.
“The attack was thwarted, and the president safely arrived at his destination as planned,” the government said late Tuesday, confirming the incident.
Another witness told media outlets that many passengers were wounded in a car damaged by the blast.
The government did not say if anyone was hurt.
Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack, which came a week after militants from the group, stormed a hotel in central Somalia, killing nine people.
The group has been fighting the federal government for over 15 years, carrying out deadly attacks in Mogadishu and other regions.
Although they were driven out of the city by African Union forces in 2011, they are still present in rural areas.
Somalia’s president has promised total war against Al-Shabaab. The army has joined forces with local militias in a military campaign backed by an African Union force and US air strikes.
Al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda-linked armed group, claimed responsibility for the attack.
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