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The bombing took place on Saturday within 1 km of Villa Somalia, the presidential palace in Mogadishu.
“We have confirmed that eight people, most of them civilians, were killed and seven others injured in the car bomb explosion,” district police chief Mucawiye Ahmed Mudey told reporters. The Guardian, Sunday (26/9/2021).
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A witness said the car bomb was detonated when police stopped the driver for a security check.
“They usually stop to check and clean the vehicle before they can pass the checkpoint. This car was stopped by security personnel and exploded while there were several other cars and people passing by on a nearby road. I saw injured and dead people being carried away,” said Mohamed Hassan, a witness.
The al-Shabaab group claimed responsibility in a brief statement.
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“Mujahideen carried out a martyrdom operation targeting the main security checkpoint of the presidential palace. There were commanders and officials from the apostates who were living (in) the area when the attack took place,” al-Shabaab said in a statement.
The terrorist group controlled Mogadishu until 2011 when it was driven out by African Union troops. However, they still retain control of territory in the countryside and carry out frequent attacks on government and civilian targets in Mogadishu and elsewhere.
(ian)
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