A suicide bomb attack in Somalia has killed at least three soldiers, according to police officials.
Militants affiliated to al-Shabaab have claimed responsibility for the attack. It happened in Afgoye district, a town 30 km to the north west of the capital Mogadishu.
The soldiers that were killed were part of a contingent deployed in Afgoye this week.
They were to tighten security ahead of President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo visit there.
A police officer, Captain Nur Ali told Reuters that “Police and military fired at a speeding suicide car bomb today and it exploded in Afgoye district. So far we know three soldiers died.”
Al Shabaab’s military operation spokesman, Abdiasis Abu Musab has also told Reuters that “A suicide car bomb targeted Somali forces who were deployed ahead of president Farmaajo’s visit in Afgoye. We killed 11 soldiers.”
Meanwhile Reuters is also reporting that Somali forces had killed two militants following the eruption of fighting at a checkpoint in Mogadishu.
The clash on Sunday also led to some soldiers sustaining injuries.
Reuters quotes a police officer as saying that “Somalia’s military killed two armed militants at Benadir checkpoint. Two soldiers were slightly injured in the exchange of fire.”
Somalia continues to suffer militant related attacks creating insecurity in parts of the country.
Source: Africafeeds.com