Somalia: Roadside bomb kills 20 in minibus near Golweyn village

GOLWEYN, Somalia- At least 20 civilians died after a bus they were riding was hit by a powerful roadside in Somalia's southern Lower Shabelle region on Thursday afternoon, Garowe Online reports.

The region officials said the massive landmine bomb struck the civilian vehicle near Golweyn village along the road linking Marka to Barawe. Those killed in the attack were mostly women and children.

Ten victims with "shocking" wounds were taken to a hospital in Marka town 90 kilometers south of the Somali capital Mogadishu. There was no immediate claim of responsibility of the bus bombing.

Officials said that a military vehicle carrying Somali government soldiers was trying to overtake the passenger bus at the time of the remotely-controlled roadside explosion.

The minibus left Bulo-marer district, and was heading for the port town of Marka before the bomb attack.

The Al Qaida-linked Al-Shabaab militants who want to topple the Western-backed Somali government have carried out such attacks against Somali security forces, AMISOM and civilians in the region in the past.

GAROWEONLINE