Four killed, 5 injured in Mogadishu car bombing – Police

[Deeq A.]

At least four people were killed and five others injured when a vehicle parked at Dabka junction in Mogadishu exploded on Wednesday, police and witnesses said.

Zakia Hussein, a deputy police commander said that the vehicle loaded with an improvised explosive device (VBIED) detonated outside a restaurant near Wabari police station in the restive capital.

“An VBIED Harrier vehicle parked at Dabka Junction went off; so far we can confirm four dead and five wounded. We offer our condolences to the victims. We once again ask the public to be vigilant and report any suspicious activities and vehicles to police via our 991 hotlines,” Zakia said.

Witnesses reported the blast saying it was so huge noting that the injured were rushed to the hospital.

“I heard a huge blast and saw black smoke billowing above the scene. The blast destroyed auto-rickshaws travelling nearby,” witness Hani Abdi told Xinhua.

The attack came hours after bomb explosive fitted into a car exploded at Maka Al Mukarama road in Mogadishu earlier on Wednesday.

No group has claimed responsibility for the latest attack in Mogadishu but extremist group, al-Shabab which is fighting to overthrow the government, usually stages such deadly attacks in the Horn of Africa nation.

The move comes while Mogadishu is on high alert as police forces blocked the main roads of the capital to prevent possible attacks by the militants.

Somali national army (SNA) backed by African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom) drove al-Shabab militants out of Mogadishu, but the terror group is still capable of conducting attacks, targeting government installations, hotels, restaurants and public places.

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