Somalia: 3 al-Shabaab militants killed after mortar attack

By Magdalene Mukami

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AA) - Somalia on Tuesday killed three al-Shabaab terrorists who carried out a mortar attack aimed at targeting a high-level government delegation in the central city of Dhusamareb, local media reported.

A barrage of mortar shells fired by the militants on Monday injured a police officer and civilians in Dhusamareb, where the Somali president and prime minister arrived to attend a conference on the country's next elections.

According to the Somali state-run broadcaster, security forces shot dead three attackers, including a senior al-Shabaab member, and injured another. They also arrested two attackers.

The state television showed pictures of the arrested militants. It also displayed heavy machines guns and other weapons seized from the al-Qaeda-affiliated terror group.

The attack came a day after al-Shabaab terrorists killed at least 10 people, including a retired army general and former Defense Minister Mohamed Nuur Galal in the capital Mogadishu.

Earlier this week following pressure from the international community, President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed called on regional leaders to attend a three-day consultative summit in the city to resolve outstanding issues over the holding of timely and credible elections in the country.

The president’s mandate will expire on Feb. 8, and the country has already missed the deadline for parliamentary elections twice.