To Africa now where the president of Somalia calls for new ways of dealing with insurgent groups. This comes days after Al-Shabaab militants targeted the mayor of Mogadishu in a deadly suicide attack. CGTN's Abdulaziz Billow has more.

Victims of Wednesday's suicide attack have been laid to rest in an emotional send off in the capital, Mogadishu - seven high-level local government officials were among the dead. Those buried include two female district commissioners recently appointed by the city mayor who was also seriously wounded in the explosion. Authorities say a female suicide bomber carried out the attack targeting a high-level security gathering chaired by the mayor of Mogadishu and regional heads.

ABDINASIR SAID MUSE DEPUTY SECURITY MINISTER, SOMALIA "Al-Shabaab continues to target people indiscriminately, young and old, civilians, government officials, women and children alike with an objective of eliminating the existence of a Somali state and the government. Such attacks prove how weak the group has become."

Twelve blast victims including the mayor of Mogadishu Abdirahman Omar Osman have been evacuated to Qatar for specialized treatment. The military air ambulance left Mogadishu on Thursday evening. Victims of a recent terrorist attack in the port city of Kismayo were also among those airlifted for treatment. The country's president Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo called for an urgent meeting with security chiefs to seek answers as to how Al-Shabaab infiltrated the local government headquarters and carried out such a high profile attack despite increased security measures in Mogadishu.

ABDINUR MOHAMED COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, VILLA SOMALIA "The president has ordered the council of ministers to come up with a comprehensive plan to counter inside collaborators of Al-Shabaab, financiers as well as its informers. It is unacceptable for terrorist elements to be in our midst and cause attacks against civilians and the government."

The Al Qaeda linked group says its target was the UN Special envoy to Somalia James Swan who had left the Mogadishu local government headquarters prior to the attack.

ABDULAZIZ BILLOW MOGADISHU, SOMALIA "A number of officials have been arrested in connection with the attack against the city mayor. Security heads have been put to task to explain how explosives were smuggled into a heavily fortified compound in an attack that has since raised suspicion that the bomber might have had inside support."

Meanwhile, police have beefed up security in major government installations as Al-Shabaab warns of more attacks against the Somali government and its international partners. AB, CGTN, MOG, SOM.