Landmine hits minibus in Somalia, 17 dead

By Mohammed Dhaysane

MOGADISHU, Somalia

At least 17 people were killed and more than six others were wounded when a landmine hit a minibus carrying civilians in Somalia’s southern lower Shabelle region on Thursday afternoon, according to police.

Addow Mohamed Wardhere, a police captain in the region, told Anadolu Agency over the telephone the minibus was traveling from Gobwayn Village to Merka Town in the lower Shabelle region.

“It was Thursday afternoon when a minibus carrying at least 23 people was hit by a massive landmine near Gobwayn. What I can confirm you is that at least 17 people, all of them civilians were killed, six others also wounded,” Wardhere said.

The wounded were taken to a regional hospital in Merka for treatment, a town located some 90 kilometers (56 miles) south of the Somali capital, Mogadishu.

Lower Shabelle region governor also confirmed the incident to Anadolu Agency.

No group has yet claimed responsibility, but it comes a day after a car bomb attack in Mogadishu killed seven people and wounded more than 10 others which the Somali militant group al-Shabaab claimed.

Meanwhile, newly-elected Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed Farmajo told a news conference in Mogadishu Thursday: “I want to announce that our country is in war against terrorist group of al-Shabaab, Allah is always with us and we will win against al-Shabaab.”