Islamic extremist fighters on Monday targeted the local Somali government headquarters in the Hiran region, leaving 20 people dead and 36 wounded in a town at the center of a recent mobilization against the extremists, officials and witnesses said.
The Somalia-based al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack in Beledweyne, a town more than 300 kilometers (186 miles) north of Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu.
Somalia’s government earlier Monday announced that it and international partners had killed a top al-Shabab leader, Abdullahi Nadir, over the weekend. The U.S. military said it conducted an airstrike on Saturday in southwest Somalia but didn’t name the al-Shabab leader killed.
The Hiran governor, Ali Jayte Osman, who survived Monday’s attack, told The Associated Press that the health minister of Hirshabelle state and the deputy governor of Hiran in charge of finance were among those killed in Monday’s attack. At least 36 others were hurt.
“The first explosion
You’ve reached your free article limit
Subscribe to enjoy unlimited access to trusted journalism. Cancel anytime.
Subscribe nowNeed help? molokom@insidepolitic.co.za
