[ad_1]
The number of victims of a series of car bombings near a popular hotel in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, has risen to at least 41, police said Saturday.
Friday's attack was the latest in a series of bombings perpetrated by Al-Shabaab, an affiliate member of al-Qaeda who had been fighting for over a decade to overthrow the Somali government supported by the international community.
Car bombs exploded a few moments later, followed by gunfire and a third explosion, sending thick plumes of black smoke into the sky.
Police chief Ibrahim Mohamed said that information received from various hospitals indicated that the death toll was 41, with 106 others injured.
"Most of these people were civilians and nearly 20 of them died in minibuses pbading by the road at the time of the explosion," he added.
Another security officer, Abdirahman Osman, told AFP that about 50 people had been confirmed dead so far, although the final number is not yet known.
Officials on Friday estimated the death toll at around 20.
Friday's attack was the latest in a wave of attacks perpetrated by Al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda affiliate who had been fighting for over a decade to overthrow the Somali-backed government. by the international community.
Source link
