Somali bomb blast claims dozens including top journalist

 Two bomb blasts on Saturday have killed over ten people including a top Somali journalist.

The first blast, a suicide car bomb happened close to Somalia’s Presidential Palace. The second blast happened shortly afterward the first in the capital Mogadishu.

Police say the first blast near the presidential palace killed at least six people and wounded several others. The Somali journalist, Awil Dihar Salad was among those who died in the first blast.

BBC reports that Mr Salad, 45, played a key role in reviving Somalia’s media before leaving the country in 2005. He returned years ago to work with Universal TV.

A journalist Abdiasis Ibrahim who works for Universal TV told Reuters that “My colleague Awil Dahir Salad died in the blast together with the driver and two security guards. They were killed by the first blast as they drove. May Allah rest their souls.”

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Somali police official Colonel Mohamed Mohamud says soldiers were also among those killed in Saturday’s blasts.

According to Captain Mohamed Hussein, the suicide bomber in the first blast had targeted a military checkpoint near presidential palace.

Reuters quotes Hussein as saying that “The death toll has risen to 13 people including civilians and soldiers. Seventeen others were injured. The casualties are from the two blasts.”

Militant group, al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for the blasts.

Al-shabab which is linked to the al-Qaeda-linked continues to carry out deadly attacks in Somalia and eastern Africa.

Al-Shabab is fighting to overthrow the UN-backed government in Somalia considered very week. The group impose its own strict interpretation of Islamic law.

Source: Africafeeds.com