8 killed in bomb blasts in Somali capital

GURIEL, Somalia

At least eight people were killed and 19 injured as multiple explosions rocked Somalia’s capital on Tuesday.

The blasts targeted several businesses at the Bakara market in Mogadishu -- the biggest and the busiest open market in the country.

Police spokesman Sadik Duudishe told Anadolu the attack involved mines placed at the front of companies trading electronics.

He did not elaborate as to why the businesses were targeted not who was behind the deadly attack.

He said the wounded, including traders and shoppers, were rushed to hospitals.

Small business owner and witness Ahmed Sanbar described the attack to Anadolu as the deadliest the market has seen in recent years.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack but the al-Qaeda-affiliated terror group, al-Shabaab, has claimed responsibility for the recent attacks in Mogadishu.

Somalia has been plagued by insecurity for years, with the main threats emanating from al-Shabaab and the Daesh/ISIS terror groups.

Since 2007, al-Shabaab has been fighting the Somali government and the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) -- a multidimensional mission authorized by the African Union and mandated by the UN Security Council.

The terror group has stepped up attacks since Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who was elected for a second term in 2022, declared an "all-out war" on the group.