Al Shabaab militants attack Somali government building, at least 5 dead

Al Shabaab militants attack Somali government building, at least 5 dead

• al-Shabab File Photo

Al Shabaab Islamist militants attacked a government building housing two ministries in the Somali capital on Tuesday, setting off two big blasts before gunmen stormed inside, killing at least five people, police and the Islamist rebels said.

It is the latest in a series of raids in Mogadishu by the group which wants to topple the Western-backed government and impose its own strict version of Islamic law. The group also attacked a university campus in neighbouring Kenya this month, killing 148 people. “First two blasts occurred, a bike blast and a car blast, outside the building, then armed fighters stormed in,” Major Ali Nur, a police officer said.

He was speaking as fighting still raged around the building that houses the Higher Education Ministry and the Petroleum and Minerals Ministry. About an hour and a half after the explosions, police said they had secured the building. Al Shabaab’s military operations spokesman Sheikh Abdiasis Abu confirmed the group was behind the attack.

Police Colonel Hussein Ibrahim said at least five people had been killed, including an African Union and a government soldier. The other three were civilians. In addition, he said two al Shabaab gunmen who had stormed inside were killed.

“AU forces were always inside the building for protection, otherwise the situation would be worse. Now the fighting is over and the building is secured,” Ibrahim said. The AU has been supporting Somali troops in a campaign against al Shabaab.

via NorthEast Calling http://ift.tt/1aqJLVD