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Rush hour car bomb kills many in Somali capital | Rush hour car bomb kills many in Somali capital |
(about 1 hour later) | |
At least 61 people are reported to have been killed by a car bomb during morning rush hour in Somalia's capital. | |
The blast took place at a checkpoint at a busy intersection in Mogadishu. | The blast took place at a checkpoint at a busy intersection in Mogadishu. |
"So far, we've carried 61 dead people," Abdikadir Abdirahman Haji Aden, founder of Aamin ambulances, told the Reuters news agency. | |
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the bomb but al-Shabab militants have often carried out attacks there. | No group has yet claimed responsibility for the bomb but al-Shabab militants have often carried out attacks there. |
Al-Shabab - a group of Islamist militants, allied to Al-Qaeda - has waged an insurgency for more than 10 years. It was forced out of the capital in 2011 but still controls areas of the country. | Al-Shabab - a group of Islamist militants, allied to Al-Qaeda - has waged an insurgency for more than 10 years. It was forced out of the capital in 2011 but still controls areas of the country. |
Witnesses described carnage at the scene. | Witnesses described carnage at the scene. |
"All I could see was scattered dead bodies ... amid the blast and some of them burned beyond recognition," said Sakariye Abdukadir, who was close to the blast. | "All I could see was scattered dead bodies ... amid the blast and some of them burned beyond recognition," said Sakariye Abdukadir, who was close to the blast. |
One Somali MP, Mohamed Abdirizak, put the death toll at more than 90, although the information he said he had received has not been independently confirmed. | One Somali MP, Mohamed Abdirizak, put the death toll at more than 90, although the information he said he had received has not been independently confirmed. |
"May Allah have mercy on the victims of this barbaric attack," the former internal security minister added. | "May Allah have mercy on the victims of this barbaric attack," the former internal security minister added. |
Five people were killed earlier this month when al-Shabab attacked a Mogadishu hotel popular with politicians, diplomats and military officers. | Five people were killed earlier this month when al-Shabab attacked a Mogadishu hotel popular with politicians, diplomats and military officers. |