Somali Govt Spokesman Wounded By Suicide Bomb Blast

By John Ikani

A spokesperson for the Somalian Government has been wounded in an explosion at the capital Mogadishu in a suspected suicide bomber attack.

A photojournalist at the scene of the blast reported seeing body parts lying on the ground outside the house of Mohamed Ibrahim Moalimuu, who was rushed to the hospital.

“A suicide bomber targeted the government spokesman, who is now being treated in hospital for his injuries from the blast,” police spokesman Abdifatah Aden told journalists.

It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack.

In the past, the al Qaeda-linked militant group al Shabaab has taken responsibility for gun and bomb attacks on Somali security and government targets, but also on civilians.

Al Shabaab aims to topple the U.N.-backed central government and impose its own harsh interpretation of Islamic law. It also carries out attacks on African Union peacekeeping troops.