Six Civilians Dead in Attack on Mogadishu Mayor’s Office
At least six people have died and several more injured in an hours-long attack targeting the offices of the mayor of Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, on Sunday.
The jihadist group and Al-Qaeda affiliate Al Shabab have claimed responsibility for the attack, which began when a suicide bomber detonated part of a building near the mayor’s office. This was followed by an exchange of gunfire between security forces and attackers.
According to police spokesman Sadik Dudishe, five attackers were killed by security forces and one of them detonated himself. The six civilian victims were killed in the chaos of the attack, and all personnel in the mayor’s office were safely rescued.
The Somalia-based extremist group has been fighting in the country against the Federal government since 2007, with support from the international community. In recent months, retaliations have included bloody attacks in response to a military offensive by the army and African Union troops, as well as multiple bombing and shooting attacks on civilians and military targets.
The latest in this string of attacks took place two days prior, killing seven soldiers in central Galcad. The US military estimated 100 attackers, which allowed Somali troops to recapture the town.
