Somalia: Double car bomb attacks kill 3 in Mogadishu

By Mohammed Dhaysane

MOGADISHU, Somalia

At least three people were killed and three wounded in a double suicide car bomb attack in the Somali capital on Friday, officials said.

Abdifatah Omar Halle, spokesman for the Banadir region administration, told Anadolu Agency that the first attack was a suicide car bomb blast targeting a security checkpoint near the KM4 intersection in Mogadishu, killing one civilian and wounding three soldiers.

"Seconds later another attack took place at KM5 Street, and one attacker and one soldier were killed," Halle said.

The second attack was also a suicide car bomber, but preceded by gunfire between the soldiers and the attacker.

No group has yet claimed the attacks, but Hallane accused terrorist group al-Shabaab of being responsible.

Friday’s attack comes a day after a landmine in Mogadishu killed two civilians and wounded nine others, according to local emergency services in Mogadishu.

Last October, at least 300 people died in a double car bombing in Mogadishu, the deadliest attack in modern Somali history.