International desk: A terrible car bomb attack has occurred in the country of eastern Africa, Somalia. At least 35 people were killed. Local time on Wednesday (January 4) in central Somalia, two car bombs belonging to al-Shabaab militants killed two people. Khabar-Reuters
It is known that there are eight members of the same family among the dead. Besides, 40 other people were injured in this incident.
A senior police officer of Somalia said that this terrible attack happened in the city of Mahas, Somalia. This is the latest in a series of bombings by Al-Shabaab, an affiliate of Al-Qaeda. The attacks come after government forces and allied militia groups began pushing insurgents out of long-held areas last year.
Al-Shabaab’s media office claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement. The group said it targeted “apostate militias and soldiers”. They even claimed that the death toll in the attack was 87.
However, local police say al-Shabaab often gives higher casualty figures than local officials and residents.
Hassan-Kafi Mohamed Ibrahim, deputy police commissioner of Somalia’s Hirshabel province, said most of the dead were civilians, including women and children. Only one child from a family of nine survived the attack. Others also lost half their family members. Besides, several houses were burnt to ashes in this incident.
Mahas District Commissioner Mumin Mohammad Halane said a bomb was thrown at his house. Another hit the home of a federal lawmaker.Al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda affiliate, has been fighting Somalia’s government for more than a decade. This militant group wants to establish an Islamic regime in Somalia.
For this reason, members of al-Shabaab often carry out bomb and gun attacks targeting the country’s military bases, installations, civilian hotels and ordinary citizens traveling on busy roads. Al-Shabaab’s activities are believed to have reduced the flow of international aid to Somalia.
