Somalia: Al-Shabab says 5 AU soldiers dead in Mogadishu blast

MOGADISHU, Somalia - A roadside bomb apparently targeting a convoy of AU peacekeepers killed at least 1 person and injured 3 others on Sunday in the Somali capital Mogadishu, Garowe Online reports.

The attack targeted armored vehicles carrying AMISOM soldiers on the city's main Industrial road, near Ex Jaalle Siyaad base, close to the Ministry of Defense in the morning, a witness told GO over the phone.

"The bomb was targeted at a convoy of African Union peacekeeping forces from Burundi while driving around Jaalle Siyaad area. It destroyed one of the vehicles, inflicting casualties on the soldiers," said the witness.

It's not clear the exact number of the casualties.

Jaalle Siyaad houses Burundian peacekeepers serving under African Union Mission to Somalia [AMISOM]. In the aftermath of the explosion, Somali security personnel cordoned off the scene and conducted an investigation into the incident.

Police said the attack killed a male passerby and wounded three other civilians who had been admitted to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Al Shabaab has immediately claimed responsibility for Sunday's attack, saying it killed five African Union soldiers protecting western officials, according to a statement posted on its affiliated media outlets.

The AU mission has not yet commented on the attack, which was the latest in series of ambushes by Al-Shabaab on the AU and SNA convoys in southern Somalia.

GAROWE ONLINE