Somalia: Bomb blast in Mogadishu wounds soldiers

MOGADISHU, Somalia - A bomb explosion in the heart of Mogadishu, the Somali capital on Tuesday has wounded at least three government soldiers aboard a military vehicle, Garowe Online reports.

Police officials said the incident happened near the old Cigarette and Match factory in the capital after a remotely-controlled bomb was targeted a military vehicle carrying soldiers on patrol.

A witness told GO over the phone that the soldiers then fired into the air to disperse nearby pedestrians and have sealed off the area to investigate.

In a separate incident, at least two Somali soldiers were reported to have injured in grenade attack on an army checkpoint outside Beledweyne, the regional capital of Hiran on Monday night.

The government troops have launched an operation in the morning in the suburbs of the city, but, no arrest has been reported so far, according to the residents.

Al-Shabab has claimed immediately the responsibility for both attacks, which are part of the al-Qaida-linked rebels' frequent bombings and assassinations in Mogadishu and elsewhere in Somalia.

GAROWE ONLINE