Suicide bomber attacks Somali military headquarters, killing 5

Suicide bomber attacks Somali military headquarters, killing 5

2011-12-02 02:13:56 GMT+7 (ICT)

MOGADISHU, SOMALIA (BNO NEWS) -- At least five people were killed on Wednesday when a suicide bomber targeted a military base in Somalia, officials said on Thursday. A number of other people were injured.

The attack happened on Wednesday at the military headquarters in Mogadishu, the country's capital, when a suicide bomber disguised as a government soldier detonated an explosive device.

Somali Army commander Colonel Ahmed Khalif told the Garowe website on Thursday that at least five people were confirmed to have been killed while an unknown number of others were injured. Some are in a critical condition.

During the attack, Somali military chief General Abdikarim Yusuf Adan Dhagabadan was at the base, but Khalif said he was unharmed. Khalif explained that the suicide bomber tried to blow himself up within the military headquarters but was unable to reach his target.

Although no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, Somalia's al-Shabaab militant group commonly carries out such attacks. The al-Qaeda-inspired militant wing of the Somali Council of Islamic Courts took over most of southern Somalia in the second half of 2006.

Somalia has been without an effective government since Mohamed Siad Barre was overthrown two decades ago.

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