Two Somalian cities struck by bomb attacks

By Vatican News

Four people were killed in a restaurant in the Somalian city of Baidoa when a landmine was detonated by remote control early Saturday morning. Several other people were wounded in the attack.

Although there was no immediate claim of responsibility, the al-Shabbab militant group has previously targeted the city.

Saturday morning also saw a suicide car bomb attack in the capital, Mogadishu. Local authorities said the bomber broke through a security checkpoint near the gates of the motor vehicle imports duty authority headquarters near the city’s port. Police officers then opened fire on the vehicle, which exploded outside of the main gates of the facility.

Five police officers were wounded.

Somalia has seen civil strife since the early 1990s, when dictator Siad Barre was overthrown and forced into exile. Since 2008, the al-Shabbab group has been fighting to overthrow the central government.