MOGADISHU: A car bomb exploded near a busy market in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu on Saturday killing at least 11 people, police said, as medical sources warned the toll could be far higher.
“We have counted about 11 civilians so far who were killed in the blast and more than 10 others wounded but the death toll could be higher because the area is a market and it was so densely populated when the blast occurred, most people who were wounded have serious injuries,” said police official Ibrahim Mohamed.
Medical sources suggested nearly 30 people had been killed, but this was not confirmed by authorities.
“Our ambulances have collected 13 wounded civilians and 28 dead bodies, the toll could be higher because of the density of the location where the blast occurred,” Dr. Abdukadir Abdirahman Adem, director of the AMIN ambulance service told AFP.
The blast took place in the densely populated Afisiyone area in southern Mogadishu.
“There was chaos and severed dead bodies strewn around the street, the market was so busy with people shopping when the blast ripped through the area. I saw many dead bodies but I could not count, I have helped collect more than 10 of them,” said Abdulahi Osman, who witnessed the blast.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, but immediate suspicion fell on the Al-Qaeda linked terrorist group Al-Shabab.
Egypt condemns attack
Egyptian Foreign Ministry condemned the terrorist attack at the Mogadishu market.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the ministry extended condolences to the families of the victims and pledged Cairo’s support to the Somali people facing terrorism in different parts of their country.
