15 killed in double suicide car bomb attack by Al Shabaab in Somalia

MADRID, 4 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) -

At least 15 people have died this Wednesday in a double suicide car bomb attack carried out by the terrorist group Al Shabaab in the Somali city of Mahas, located in the center of the country, according to local media reports.

According to information collected by the Hiiraan Online news portal, the car bombs would have reached Mahas through the Wahbo area, in Galgadud, an area controlled by the terrorist group Al Shabaab after the Army withdrew in mid-November after take it briefly shortly before.

The target of the first explosion was a house where officials directing operations against Al Shabaab in the area were, although it is unknown if they were inside at the time of the attack.

Likewise, the second explosion took place at the house of the governor of Mahas, Mumin Mohamed Halane, who was unharmed, according to the Jowar portal. Halane himself has stated in statements to the Somali state news agency, SONNA, that the attacks have caused a large number of victims and property damage, although he has declined to comment on the death toll.

Al Shabaab has claimed responsibility for the double suicide attack in a message published through its propaganda channels, as reported by the SITE Intelligence Group, an organization specialized in monitoring terrorist groups.

Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said Monday that 2023 will be the year "of liberation" amid increased crackdowns on Al Shabaab, which maintains ties to the Al Qaeda terrorist organization. The president himself said in early December that Al Shabaab "is history" and asked the population to "support the liberation operations."

Somalia has increased offensives against Al Shabaab in recent months with the support of clans and local militias as part of a series of decisions taken by the president, who promised upon taking office to put the fight against terrorism at the center of his efforts to stabilize the country. african country.