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| 'Suicide blast' at offices of Somalia's leadership | 'Suicide blast' at offices of Somalia's leadership |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| At least two people have died in a suicide attack at a compound housing the offices of Somalia's president and prime minister, officials say. | At least two people have died in a suicide attack at a compound housing the offices of Somalia's president and prime minister, officials say. |
| Dozens were also wounded when the bomber blew himself at a checkpoint near the office of Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon in the capital Mogadishu. | Dozens were also wounded when the bomber blew himself at a checkpoint near the office of Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon in the capital Mogadishu. |
| The prime minister and president are said to be unharmed. | The prime minister and president are said to be unharmed. |
| Both men took office following elections last September deemed to be the first fair such vote for 42 years. | Both men took office following elections last September deemed to be the first fair such vote for 42 years. |
| Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, an academic and civic activist, beat the incumbent in a run-off vote by MPs to become president. | Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, an academic and civic activist, beat the incumbent in a run-off vote by MPs to become president. |
| He then appointed his close associate, former businessman Abdi Farah Shirdon as prime minister. | He then appointed his close associate, former businessman Abdi Farah Shirdon as prime minister. |
| Continued threat | Continued threat |
| The attacker detonated his explosives when he was questioned at a checkpoint into the Villa Somalia, a sprawling compound that houses both the president's and prime minister's offices, officials said. | The attacker detonated his explosives when he was questioned at a checkpoint into the Villa Somalia, a sprawling compound that houses both the president's and prime minister's offices, officials said. |
| The target was Mr Shirdon's office, they said. | The target was Mr Shirdon's office, they said. |
| One report on Somali radio said that the dead included one of Mr Shirdon's bodyguards and the suicide bomber. Other reports have put the death toll as high as six. | One report on Somali radio said that the dead included one of Mr Shirdon's bodyguards and the suicide bomber. Other reports have put the death toll as high as six. |
| No-one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. | No-one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. |
| The new government is trying to rebuild the country after 20 years of conflict. | The new government is trying to rebuild the country after 20 years of conflict. |
| One of its biggest challenges is the al-Qaeda-aligned Islamist group, al-Shabab, which still controls large areas of rural southern and central Somalia. | One of its biggest challenges is the al-Qaeda-aligned Islamist group, al-Shabab, which still controls large areas of rural southern and central Somalia. |
| The BBC's Abdullahi Abdi, reporting from Kenya, says that suicide attacks have decreased in Mogadishu since the withdrawal of al-Shabab from the city in August 2011. | |
| But the latest attack shows that the Islamist militants still pose a threat to the city's security, he adds. | But the latest attack shows that the Islamist militants still pose a threat to the city's security, he adds. |