3 killed as car bomb explodes near Somalia's parliament headquarters

A huge blast from a car bomb targeting a security checkpoint near the headquarters of the Somali parliament rocked the capital Mogadishu on Saturday, Anadolu Agency reports. 

Three people were killed and eight wounded after a car bomb detonated near a security checkpoint in the Somali capital Mogadishu Saturday, a security official and witnesses reported.

Police said there had been no casualties and only seven had been wounded in the blast that destroyed eight cars and nine tuk-tuks. However, witnesses have contradicted the statement.

"My uncle was among the dead, I went there to collect his body and I saw another civilian who died in the blast as well," said Suleiman Ali.

An explosive-laden vehicle passed through a security checkpoint causing security forces to open fire before the vehicle exploded close to another checkpoint at the Sayidka junction, according to local media and police sources.

National Police spokesperson Sadaq Adan Ali confirmed the car bomb blast to Anadolu Agency (AA) over the phone.

"The police, other security forces, and paramedics reached the scene and the road leading to the presidential palace were closed," he said.

"We do not know yet the number of casualties from the car bomb blast but the police started an investigation," the spokesperson added.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack but al-Qaida-affiliated militant group al-Shabab, which is based in the country, carried out recent attacks in the Horn of the African country.

News.Az 

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