Somalia: Several injured in blast near Mogadishu mayor’s office | News
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At least five people were injured in a massive explosion Sunday that damaged buildings near the mayor’s office in the Somali capital.
According to police and witnesses, at least five people were injured in an explosion near the mayor’s office in the Somali capital Mogadishu, with gunfire following.
Witnesses said Sunday’s massive explosion damaged nearby buildings.
Police officer Abdullahi Mohamed said: “Terrorists blew up a vehicle loaded with explosives against the surrounding wall of the Mogadishu mall, next to the Banadir government headquarters.
Abdikadir Abdirahman, director of Aamin Ambulance Service, told Reuters news agency that ambulance staff had evacuated five injured people from the scene of the explosion.
The mayor’s office is located in the local government headquarters building in a heavily guarded area of Mogadishu.
Farah Abdullahi, who works in the mayor’s office, told Reuters: “We were in the office when we were deafened by an explosion, we ran outside, gunfire followed.”
Security forces immediately sealed off the area but a shootout between the army and the attackers continued, an intelligence officer surnamed Ahmed told Reuters.
More to follow