At least one person was killed by blasts that targeted troops in central Somalia

MOGADISHU, Reuters – A suicide car bombing targeted a checkpoint manned in central Somalia by Somali government troops on Saturday left at least one person dead and six others wounded. Witnesses said it was part of a twin suicide vehicle attack.

Witnesses claimed that both blasts happened almost simultaneously.

No immediate claim of responsibility was made. Last August, federal government soldiers and allied clan militias launched an offensive against al Shabaab militants. The group responded with a series if attacks, after being driven out of certain territories.

“A suicide car bomb exploded near the bridge at a checkpoint of government forces,” stated Seinab Abdullahi (a shopkeeper in Jalalaqsi), who counted one dead and six other injured victims.

The police and officials of the government were not immediately available for comment.

Hussein Abdiasis (another Jalalaqsi resident) stated that government forces opened fire on the vehicle carrying the second explosive in an effort to stop the attackers.

“After the initial blast, we heard gunfire, and then another blast,” he stated.

Al Shabaab has waged an insurgency against Somalia’s Government since 2007, with the goal of enforcing strict Islamic law.

In the past, the government has pushed it back but only for the army to regroup and regain control of areas where they are not able to hold.

(Reporting and editing by Abdi Sheikh; Writing and Editing by Duncan Miriri.