Suicide attack in Mogadishu injures at least 5

By Mohammed Dhaysane

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AA) - At least five people have been wounded Thursday in a suicide car bomb attack targeting a Mogadishu restaurant regularly frequented by journalists, according to authorities and eyewitnesses.

The attack, targeting an area located near the Somali presidential palace, occurred on the same day that newly elected Somali MPs were expected to be sworn in.

The attacker was first ordered to stop by police but he refused and sped towards the nearby restaurant, according to the regional spokesman Abdifatah Halane.

Abdikamil Mo'alim Shukri, the spokesman for Somalia's internal security minister, confirmed to reporters that the explosion was the result of a suicide car bomb, according to the Somali national news agency.

Mohammed Hussein Dacad, an eyewitness and local radio journalist, confirmed to Anadolu Agency that he saw five wounded, including a soldier and two journalists.

"I was near the restaurant. I heard a huge explosion. I went there and I saw five people, including two of my friends wounded. The wounded were rushed to hospital," Dacad said.

Burhan Dini Farah, deputy directer of Radio Kulmiye, confirmed to Anadolu Agency over the telephone that two of their journalists were injured in the attack.

"Our reporters Abdukadir Sheikh and Dahir Isse, were wounded. I am in a hospital now. We are very disappointed and condemn the aiming of soft targets," Burhan said, referring to the restaurant.

No group has yet claimed the responsibility for the attack but the al-Qaeda affiliate al-Shabaab have been behind most of the recent ones.