“At 9:10 AM, a terrorist car loaded with explosives … rammed into a checkpoint near the Sayidka Junction. The security forces opened fire at the car while speeding to the Presidential Palace in Mogadishu,” a police assertion learn.
Police mentioned the suicide automobile bomber additionally died within the blast.
“Thank God, the vigilance of the security forces has saved the people from the threat of terrorism to the innocent Somali people,” the assertion added.
There was no quick declare of duty for the assault that comes amid a political disaster in Somalia after the nation’s president Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo’s mandate expired on February eight with no well timed elections.
Saturday’s incident was he second main explosion within the Somali capital in latest weeks.
Al-Shabaab claimed duty for that assault by way of an announcement broadcast by Andalus Radio, its mouthpiece channel. CNN has been unable to independently confirm this declare.
The rebel group seeks to show Somalia right into a fundamentalist Islamic state. It has beforehand claimed duty for different assaults in Mogadishu, together with a truck bombing in December which killed 85.
