At least three civilians have been killed and four others wounded in a blast that struck a café in the central Somali town of Beledweyne, according to witnesses.
The explosion occurred on Wednesday at a popular tea shop in the Buundoweyn neighborhood, an area frequented by security personnel. However, no soldiers were present at the time of the attack, witnesses said.
Ali Hussein, who was nearby when the explosion happened, told Al Jazeera that the blast was powerful enough to be heard across the town. Among the dead was a woman, he said.
“The injured were rushed to a nearby hospital,” Hussein added. “It looked like the device had been planted there earlier.”
Though the exact nature of the device has not been confirmed, initial reports suggest it was an improvised explosive device (IED) placed inside the café before it opened for business.
No armed group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but suspicion often falls on al-Shabab group that frequently carries out bombings and assassinations targeting government forces and civilians across Somalia.
Local officials in Beledweyne have not yet issued a formal statement regarding the incident.
Beledweyne, located around 300km (186 miles) north of the capital Mogadishu, has seen a surge in attacks in recent months as local militias and residents mobilize in support of a government-led offensive against al-Shabab.
