This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-50932130
The article has changed 12 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Rush-hour car bomb kills dozens in Somali capital | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| At least 73 people are reported to have been killed by a car bomb during morning rush hour in Somalia's capital. | At least 73 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. |
| Dr. Mohamed Yusuf, director of Madina hospital, told the AP news agency they had received 73 bodies. The death toll is expected to rise. | Dr. Mohamed Yusuf, director of Madina hospital, told the AP news agency they had received 73 bodies. The death toll is expected to rise. |
| 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. |
| Many of the dead are reportedly university students. | |
| Three witnesses told Reuters that the blast had taken place next to a small group of Turkish engineers who were constructing a road. It is not known if the engineers survived but their car was destroyed. | |
| Turkey has been a major donor to Somalia since a famine in 2011. | |
| 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. |