Somalia: Two separate bomb attacks in southern and central region kill seven people

In two separate bomb attacks in southern and central Somalia, nearly seven people have reportedly been killed. The police and military officers on June 21 informed that the first attack took place on Saturday evening, while the second on Sunday. According to an international media report, no group has claimed responsibility as of now, however, it was also noted that such attacks are common in Somalia, where Islamist militant organisation al Shabaab have been waging a 12-year campaign to topple the central government.

While speaking to the media outlet, the officers said that in the first incident, two bombs were planted in front of the house of a military official in Wanlaweyn town. The bombs exploded on June 20 and killed nearly four people, including soldiers and civilians. 

Mohamed Nur, a police officer, reportedly said that he first heard the blast at the house, however, fortunately, the military officer was absent. After the first bomb went off and several people, including guards and residents, came out the second blast went off, said Nur. 

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Three soldiers killed, two wounded 

As per reports, in the second incident, nearly three militants in a car carried out a suicide bomb attack at a military checkpoint in Bacadweyn town in central Somalia's Galmudug state. Major Abdullahi Ahmed, a military officer in the nearby town, reportedly informed that the soldiers shot at the vehicle after its occupants ignored orders to stop. He added that three soldiers died and two others were wounded. 

Al-Shabaan is an al-Qaida-linked extremist group in Somalia. The group reportedly wants to establish its own rule in the region based on its own strict interpretation of Islamic sharia law.

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