3 soldiers dead, several people hurt in Somalia blast

GAROWE, Somalia

At least three soldiers died and several more people, including civilians, have been wounded in a blast at a security checkpoint outside Somalia’s capital on Thursday morning, officials said.

The attack took place in Lafole town, some 22 kilometers (13 miles) southwest of Mogadishu.

Explosives were planted by a roadside and detonated while soldiers were carrying out security checks during the morning rush hour, according to Abshir Hussein Mohamed, a police officer in the nearby town of Afgoye.

“At least three soldiers have died and several more injured people, including soldiers and civilians, have been shifted to a hospital in Mogadishu,” he told Anadolu Agency over the phone.

Somalia-based al-Shabaab, affiliated with the al-Qaeda terror group, claimed responsibility for the attack via its propaganda radio service Andalus.

The blast comes days after at least five people were killed and eight more wounded in a suicide bombing at a busy restaurant in Mogadishu.