Somalia: 35 killed, 40 injured in twin car bombings in Mahas district

At least 35 people were killed, including eight members of a single family, and 40 more wounded in twin car bombings in central Somalia on Wednesday (January 4),a senior police officer said.The Al-Shabaab has claimed responsibility for these blasts.Two cars packed with explosives were simultaneously detonated in Mahas district in the Hiran region.

Another community leader, Mohamud Suleyman, said that 40 people were wounded and most were transported to the capital city Mogadishu for treatment.

According to witnesses, the blasts occurred near a restaurant which is not far from a district administration building.

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Earlier on Wednesday, Osman Nur, a police commander in Mahas told AFP that the terrorists, after having been defeated, resorted to targeting civilians, but this will not stop the will of the people to continue defeating them.

"They have killed innocent civilians in the explosions," Nur said.

Somalia has seen many terror attacks in the past.

On October 29 last year, more than 100 people were killed in two car bombings in Mogadishu. The explosions took place at the education ministry building with Somalia's president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud blaming Al-Shabad for the attacks.

Nearly amonth later, eight civilians were killed in a 21-hour siege at a hotel in Mogadishu on November 27 which was popular with politicians and government officials. This came just three months after at least 21 people were killed in a siege at another hotel in the capital city in August.

Meanwhile, on October 3, 2022, a triple car bombing in Beledweyne killed 30 people including local officials.

(With inputs from agencies)

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