Al Shabaab resumes mortar attacks on Somalia palace
MOGADISHU, Somalia- Somalia’s Al Qaeda linked Al Shabaab militants have resumed mortar assaults on heavily fortified compound of Villa Somalia on Thursday, Garowe Online reports.
A barrage of mortar rounds landed in Mogadishu’s Wardhigley district, leaving a mother and her two children dead.
Offices of the Prime Minister are reported to have been targeted, with outspoken Member of Parliament, AbdiBarre Yusuf Jibril sustaining minor injuries to his hands.
At least 10 others have been wounded according to medics.
Somali Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke is in Istanbul where he is holding talks with Turkish officials.
Turkey hosted more than 50 countries and representatives of UN Agencies for 6th Somali Compact High-Level Partnership Forum this week.
--Lax security
Deputy Banadir Governor Mohamed AhmedDirie has blamed Al Shabaab for the mortar shells in remarks to reporters, unveiling that civilians were killed.
“Here is the place where mortar fire killed people from same family. Those anti-peace elements from Al Shabaab are prepared for shedding the blood of innocent civilians,” he added.
The Somali official urged security agencies to go after perpetrators of such attacks.
Al Shabaab claimed credit for the shelling on websites.
Analysts believe that lax security in and around Somali palace could have encouraged for broad daylight mortar attacks in volatile Mogadishu.
GAROWEONLINE