MOGADISHU, Somalia – At least 17 civilians have been killed in Middle Shebelle, a region that has struggled with stability following a bomb blast aimed at a minibus traveling from the capital Mogadishu, amid a running stalemate before the country’s election.
Officials said the incident took place near Gololey about 50 kilometers north of Mogadishu, the country’s capital, which has been battling insecurity for the past few months.
The dead traveled from Mogadishu to Jowhar, the regional administrative capital of Hirshabelle, a state within southern Somalia that has played home to thousands of al-Shabaab militants who control large parts of the area.
Several other civilians were critically injured, police said, and have since been transferred to Mogadishu for special treatment, a police spokesman added in the recent incident, which further raises doubts about civil security in Somalia.
The death toll could rise further as some of the injured suffered threatening injuries, some independent reports collected by Axadlehave suggested. The federal government in Somalia, which faces legitimacy issues, has condemned the attack.
Although no groups have claimed responsibility for the attacks, the nature and setup are a copy of Al-Shabaab raids in the country, but the group has not yet been confirmed. The group often targets security forces, senior officials and even innocent civilians.
The attack comes at a time when opposition leaders are accusing President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo of redirecting resources to fight political wars instead of focusing on eliminating terrorist threats in the country. However, the government has often defended itself from the accusations.
AXADLETM
