Somalia Bomb Blast Kills Six Near Mogadishu Airport

Man walks past damage from bomb blast at the entrance of the Mogadishu airport in the Horn of Africa nation of Somalia. Al-Shabaab has reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Al-Shabab Attack Kills 6 in Somali Capital

VOA News
February 13, 2014

Militant group al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for a deadly car bomb explosion in Somalia's capital.

Authorities in Mogadishu tell VOA that at least six people were killed, including three Somali soldiers, and eight others were injured in Thursday's blast.

Daniel Maclsaac, a spokesman for the United Nations refugee agency, says the bomb appeared to target a U.N. convoy.

"A vehicle exploded close to a convoy of U.N. vehicles at about 12:30 there today. It was near the international airport in Mogadishu," he said. "The U.N. in Somalia strongly condemns the attack and expresses deep sorrow at the reported deaths and injuries of Somali bystanders."

​Somali security sources tell VOA that the U.N. agency's representative, Alessandra Morelli, was traveling in one of the cars.

MacIsaac says no U.N. staffers were hurt in the blast.

Al-Shabab at one point controlled large parts of Somalia, but was pushed out of major cities by African Union forces and the Somali government.

The al-Qaida-linked group still carries out periodic attacks in Somalia, and also claimed responsibility for the attack on a Kenyan shopping mall last September that killed more than 60 people.