MOGADISHU, Somalia – At least three people were killed and another wounded on Saturday in a roadside bomb attack on their vehicle near Wanlanweyne town in Lower Shabelle region, about 90 km (55 miles) northwest of the capital, Mogadishu.
Saturday’s blast, believed to be a landmine, destroyed a Probox vehicle on a road leading to the town, leaving four people dead, according to Hussein Ismail, a local driver.
Ismail said the victims were scattered after being thrown from the vehicle by the blast. A seriously injured woman and the driver, whose head was nearly destroyed, were on the ground, he said, while three other bodies were recovered from the wreckage.
He also described the scene as heartbreaking and devastating, noting that people were afraid of being questioned if they tried to save lives by taking the victims to hospitals in Mogadishu, as there are no nearby facilities in the area.
“What I saw was a disaster. I have never witnessed anything like this in my life,” Ismail said. A woman with injuries was writhing in pain while lying on the ground, he added. “A driver, with half of his head gone, was taking his last breath, and others were in body parts,” he said.
A video seen by Mareeg Online shows a large crater on the roadside, marking the spot where the blast occurred. The vehicle was in the wrong place at the wrong time, as the scale of the blast also appeared to be significant, likely intended to target high-profile vehicles.
Speaking to Mareeg Online on the condition of anonymity, a local resident said that militants from Al Shabab, an al-Qaeda-linked group, have been active in the area. They were also seen erecting checkpoints and small bases of operation.
He added that the militants emerged from hiding as the region received light rain showers, and Somali army forces typically do not carry out operations due to muddy conditions, which the militants exploit to their advantage.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Saturday’s explosion, but such bomb attacks are often linked to Al Shabab group.
In September, at least three people were killed and five others wounded when a roadside bomb exploded, hitting their vehicle in the same area while they were on their way to their farms. The victims with critical injuries were taken to Medina Hospital in Mogadishu, where they received advanced medical care.
Driven out of Mogadishu in 2011 by Somali and African Union forces, the group continues to carry out deadly attacks. For over a decade, they have fought to overthrow the Somali government and impose a strict interpretation of Islamic sharia law.
Al Shabab still controls large areas in southern Somalia, from where it is believed to launch attacks against Somali army bases, African Union peacekeepers, and key installations in the capital, Mogadishu.
