At least 14 killed in Mogadishu car bomb explosion

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At least 14 people were killed and about a dozen injured when a car bomb exploded outside a popular hotel in Mogadishu’s city center on Thursday, in an attack claimed by the Al Shabaab group.

"There was a heavy blast here and the number of casualties we have is so far 14 killed and a number of others wounded," said Abdiazis Ali Ibrahim, a security ministry spokesman. "The toll could be higher.”

Another security ministry spokesman put the number of injured at about 10. Abdikadir Abdirahman, director of the Amin ambulance service, said earlier that 22 people were injured.

Somali security forces assess the damage at the scene of an explosion outside Weheliye Hotel in Maka al Mukarama street in Mogadishu, Somalia, March 22, 2018. /Reuters Photo

Al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab militants said they were “behind the blast” and that they had targeted a gathering of government officials, army and intelligence officers.

Witnesses described a big explosion on Makkah al-Mukarama street, one of the city's busiest running through central Mogadishu, which was packed with people heading home from work at the time.

"The blast was so huge, a vehicle containing explosives went off near a teashop in front of Weheliye hotel," said witness Abdulahi Moalim.

Reuters news agency reported that the explosion was followed by gunfire.

Mogadishu is regularly hit by bomb attacks carried out by Al Shabaab, which is fighting to overthrow Somalia's internationally-backed government.

The Weheliye hotel was already attacked by Al Shabaab gunmen in 2015. Last October, Somalia suffered its deadliest-ever terrorist attack when more than 500 people were killed in a truck bombing in a busy part of the capital.

In February, twin car bombings left 38 people dead in Mogadishu. ‍

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Source(s): AP ,AFP ,Reuters