Two people die in separate explosions in Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Two people died in separate explosions in Somalia, just in the middle of an ongoing crackdown against Al-Shabaab militants across the country, who are linked to various attacks targeting mostly innocent civilians, security forces, and senior government officials.

The first explosion, police said, killed a child and critically wounded two others aged 10 and 13, in what could trigger questions about safety standards in the Horn of Africa nation, which has struggled with instability for the last three decades.

Officials said the blast, which was caused by a landmine, targeted a Quranic school within Miiradde about 40 kilometers Southeast of Beledweyne, a town that has been witnessing Al-Shabaab attacks for the last couple of months.

Mohamed Somali, the director of the hospital where the two children were admitted, told the media that the children were seriously injured in their genitals and had serious bone fractures. Doctors in the hospital are trying to resuscitate them.

"Two children were brought to us with landmine injuries. The 13-year-old patient is the most seriously injured, with a general genital injury," said the doctor, while expressing remorse to the affected families, who have since been notified by authorities.

"Bones in his left arm and leg were broken. We are closely monitoring their health conditions and will do our best to treat them here," the doctor added, in his interview with reporters from the Al-Shabaab-prone region of Somalia.

Elsewhere, a soldier was instantly killed and nine others were critically injured following an explosion within a tea shop in Barawe town on Tuesday, reports indicate. No group has since taken responsibility for the two separate attacks but the Al-Shabaab militants are known for such attacks.

The explosions come at the time the Somali National Army and allies are launching a series of attacks within the country to flush out the militants. The government had pledged to effectively fight the militants who control huge swathes of rural central and southern Somalia.

GAROWE ONLINE