Somalia: At least five soldiers killed in landmine explosion in Afgoye
AFGOYE, Somalia- A massive landmine explosion at an army base in Afgoye town has left at least five Somali military soldiers dead on Tuesday, Garowe Online reports.
Capt Abdirahman Hussein, a police officer in the town confirmed the attack, and blamed Al Shabaab militant group for planting the remote-controlled bomb in the base during Monday's fighting.
"I can confirm that five soldiers have died when an Improvised explosives device (IED) concealed in Somalia army base in Afgoye town exploded in this morning," he added.
Al Shabaab fighters have briefly seized parts of Afgoye district in Lower Shabelle after an attack against military bases that left more than 7 people including three soldiers dead.
This was the third Al Shabaab attack on Afgoye near Mogadishu in just three weeks as the country is set to hold a presidential election in the coming days.
Al Qaida-linked Al Shabaab group has previously vowed to disrupt the ongoing Somali election and intensified terrorist attacks in the capital Mogadishu and other areas aimed to topple the western-backed Somali government in Mogadishu.
GAROWEONLINE