MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – At least 20 people were killed and more than 40 others wounded after a car bomb exploded outside a busy restaurant in Somalia’s capital, popularly attended by government officials and members of the security forces on Friday night.
A vehicle packed with explosives parked outside Lul Yamani restaurant near the main prison in Hamar Jajab neighborhood of the Somali capital, Mogadishu exploded, causing significant casualties.
The bombing damaged the targeted restaurant as photos circulating online show debris and glasses strewn inside an area where people had been dining before the attack.
A nearby building has also collapsed, triggering fears that people may have been trapped under the rubble.
Among those killed in the attack included the guards of Mogadishu Central Prison as the impact of the explosion reached areas far away from the targeted restauarant.
At least 20 people are confirmed to have been killed with more than 40 others wounded, according to rescuers and hospitals in the city.
Al-Qaeda-affiliated militant group Al-Shabaab has immediately claimed responsibility, saying it targeted a gathering of security officials in Hamar Jajab neighborhood.
The attack has come hours after the federal government deployed hundreds of troops on the roads in the capital and in particular, those leading to Daljirka Dahson, the site of an opposition protest scheduled to take place on Saturday, though it has been delayed late on Friday due to fears of crackdown.
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