MOGADISHU, Somalia – At least 90 people were killed and 147 injured on Saturday in a truck bomb explosion in the Somali capital, Mogadishu.
It is one of deadliest attacks in the capital after a truck loaded with explosive detonated at busy junction where it killed 90 people, said, a Somali MP Abdirisak Mohamed.
Hon. Mohamed says 73 civilians, 17 police officers and four other foreign nationals were killed in the explosion.
But, Somali government spokesman put the death toll at least 70 people.
The attack also left over a dozen of school children, mainly girls dead when their bus was burned down, a witness said.
Radio Shabelle photo journalist said he saw burned human bodies and flashes scattered at explosion scene.
Most the victims were severely burned due to flames caused by the blast, according to medics in Mogadishu.
Somali police say death toll could likely rise as some of the victims were seriously injured in the attack.
Meanwhile, Turkish embassy in Mogadishu has also confirmed that two Turkish nationals were among those who were killed in the bombing.
No group has claimed the responsibility for the Saturday’s bomb attack, but this becomes 2nd deadliest attack rocked the capital of Mogadishu.
In 2017, a truck bomb explosion killed over 500 people while 800 others injured at KM5 crossroad in the capital.
Somalia accused the terror group al Shabaab of carrying out such attacks in the war-ravaged horn of African nation.
Earlier this month, the armed group al Shabaab als carried out gun attack on SYL hotel close to country’s presidential place where its fighters killed 10 people, including two soldiers.
The group was pushed out of Mogadishu capital in 2011 by Somali army troops and 22,000-strong African Union force in Somalia.
The rebel group also lost most of their strongholds, but it still controls large rural areas and remains the key threat to peace in Somalia.
Al Shabaab which has close ties to al Qaeda terror group has been fighting for over ten years to overthrow the internationally- backed government in Somalia.
Reporting by Abdirisak Mohamud Tuuryare from Mogadishu, Somalia
