BALADWEYNE, Somalia — At least 27 people, including a federal female lawmaker, were killed and 34 others were also wounded in twin suicide explosions in Baladweyne town, some 335km north of the Somali capital Mogadishu.
The first blast took place after a suicide bomber grabbed MP Amina Mohamed and blew himself up near presidential palace of Hirshabelle state in the town.
The second explosion, witnesses said, was an explosive-laden vehicle parked near a hospital and was detonated upon arrival of the victims wounded in the first blast.
Police in the town, said that at least 27 people lost their lives while 34 others, some of them wounded seriously.
MP Amina Mohamed was contesting for her re-election.
She was a fearless critic of the incumbent president Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo.
Mohamed was also an advocate for Ikran Tahlil, an intelligence female agent who was disappeared last year.
The attack comes hours after six people, including foreign nationals, were killed in a gun attack claimed by al Shabab at Halane camp within Mogadishu’s international airport.
Al Shabab — an al Qaeda — linked group claimed the responsibility for Wednesday’s attack on Halane camp in Mogadishu.
Halane also hosts all UN, US, AU, and other international missions in Somalia.
So far, no group claimed the responsibility for the blasts in Baladweyne town.
EU mission in Somalia condemned the suicide attacks and termed them as “politically-motivated killings”.
UK and US embassies in Somalia also condemned the latest attacks in Baladweyne town.
On Wednesday, the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has strongly condemned a deadly attack on Halane camp within Mogadishu’s international airport in the capital city of Mogadishu.
Guterres also expressed the full solidarity and support of the United Nations with the Government and the people of Somalia in their fight against terrorism.
The Al Qaeda linked group was ousted out of the capital Mogadishu in 2011, but the group still continues its attacks on African Union troops and Somali army bases in south and central towns of the Horn of African nation.
