Mogadishu: The death toll from twin car bombings in Somalia’s capital has reached 120 and could rise further because some people are still missing, the country’s health minister said Monday.
Ali Haji said more than 320 others were wounded in Saturday’s midday explosions at a busy junction in Mogadishu, and over 150 of them are still being treated at hospitals, reports AP.
The police officials had said one of the blasts targeted the Ministry of Education which is located at Zone junction while other blasts were heard in the vicinity of K-5 junction which is home to government offices, hotels and restaurants.
Two days after the bombing, it is still not clear how vehicles loaded with explosives made it through a city full of checkpoints and constantly on alert for attacks.
According to the report, the al-Qaida affiliate al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for the bombings and said it targeted the education ministry, which it accused of turning youth away from Islam.
Somalia’s government under the recently elected President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has been engaged in a new offensive against al-Shabab, including efforts to shut down its financial network, reports AP, adding that the government has said the fight will continue.
