Islamic extremists exploded a suicide car bomb and killed at least nine people, including Somalia’s former foreign minister, near the presidential palace in the capital yesterday, police said.
Former foreign minister Hussein Elabe Fahiye, who was an advisor to the current president, was among those killed in the blast. Capt. Mohamed Hussein told The Associated Press another 13 people were wounded and most of the casualties were soldiers.
The Somalia-based extremist group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the blast in Mogadishu, saying it targeted vehicles carrying government officials. The car bomb exploded at a security checkpoint near the presidential palace as soldiers were conducting security checks on vehicles on the main road.