MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – A car bomb blast targeted a building hosting meeting between regional and federal officials in south Somalia’s Gedo region, Universal TV reported on Tuesday.
The suicide blast hit a compound housing regional officials in the town of Bardere, completely destroying the building and causing a number of fatalities.
Mortar shells hit the area immediately after the bombing disrupting efforts to rescue survivors from the bombing, the latest in a series of insurgent attacks in the restive region.
Regional governor Ahmed Bule Gared, senior military commander and other officials were injured in the blast, according to local media.
Al-Qaeda-linked militant group said it was responsible for both attacks.
It came following reports that regional authorities were mobilizing for a new offensive against militants to retake large swathes of rural territory in the region which is still held by the Islamist rebels.
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