
MOGADISHU, Somalia – At least six people – three civilians, three soldiers – were killed in an explosion at a teashop in Qalimow area near Bal’ad town, some 30km north of the capital Mogadishu.
The attack also wounded nearly ten others on Monday, said a local resident who spoke to Mareeg Onine via phone.
The explosion, he said, was from a device planted at the teashop frequented by soldiers.
No group says it has carried out Monday’s explosion, but such attacks often carried out by al Shabab – al Qaeda –linked group in Somalia.
Earlier this month, Al-Shabaab militants carried out an attack on an army base manned by government forces in Qalimow.
Qalimow is an area between Jowhar and Bal’ad town in Middle Shabelle region. The highway between Bal’ad and Jowhar has also been target of frequent Al-Shabaab attacks in recent years
Many local residents believe that Al-Shabaab planted explosives devices along the roads between the two towns presumably to disrupt parliamentary elections that are taking place in Jowhar, about 91km north of the capital Mogadishu