Somalia: At least 100 dead and 300 injured as two car bombs rock Mogadishu
At least 100 people have been killed and around 300 injured after two explosions rocked the Somalian capital Mogadishu on Saturday.
The resulting cloud of smoke was a testament to the power of the blasts.
A police spokesman said two car bombs exploded at a busy road junction in the city leaving "scores of civilian casualties".
Somali media said It happened on a day when the president, prime minister and other senior officials were meeting to discuss combating violent extremism, especially by the al-Qaida-affiliated al-Shabab group that often targets the capital.
An Associated Press journalist at the scene said he saw “many” bodies and that they appeared to be civilians travelling on public transport.
He also said the second blast occurred in front of a busy restaurant.
Adam Hassan was there when the first blast happened. "I witnessed the first explosion then I fled the area. I was in shock because of the first blast. Another explosion rocked the same area. There are deaths and injuries, but I don’t know the exact number of the casualties," he said.
Ahmed Abukar was also there. "I was at the attack area when the first explosion went off, after that, I ran away, I saw many dead people, but I don’t have the death and injuries toll, May Allah have mercy on the dead people and help the injured to recuperate."
The director of the Aamin ambulance service told the AP they had collected many wounded or killed. One of the ambulances responding to the attack was destroyed by the second blast, Abdulkadir Adan added in a tweet.
The Somali Journalists Syndicate said one journalist was killed and two others wounded.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
The attack occurred at Zobe junction, which was the scene of a huge al-Shabab truck
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