Somalia: Explosion at Mogadishu municipality HQ kills senior officials

MOGADISHU, Somalia - A suicide explosion reported at Mogadishu municipality Headquarters in the Somali capital and followed by heavy gunfire, causing a high number of deaths and wounds, Garowe Online reports.

Wednesday’s attack happened hours after the new UN envoy James Swan left the compound after meeting Mogadishu Mayor Abdirahman Omar Osman Yarisow who was confirmed injured in the blast.

Reports from the scene indicate that senior district, security, and Benadir regional administration officials are among the casualties resulted from a suicide blast at Mogadishu municipality HQs.

Sabah Abdullahi Mohamed, the commissioner of Abdulaziz district and her Waberi counterpart were confirmed to be among the dead, according to sources who spoke to Garowe Online.

The enormous explosion comes shortly after several mortar shells landed near the heavily fortified hill-top presidential palace, Villa Somalia in Mogadishu early in the day with no casualties reported.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility of the attack which occurred a day after a car bomb blast at a security checkpoint for Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International airport killed at least 17 people.

This is developing story, check back for updates.

GAROWE ONLINE