GALKAYO (Halbeeg News) – At least eight people including soldiers and civilians have been killed, while several others injured after car bomb went off outside a hotel in the Somali town of Galkayo in the Mudug region.
The attack which is executed by suicide bomber happened Saturday evening at the hotel which housing high rank Somali military.
According to sources privy to the explosion, the suicide bomber hit a military pickup parked outside as a barrier leading the death of the civilians who were trading the hotel and guards.
Reports say Somali military infantry commander, General Abdihamid Mohamed Dirir and the commander of 21st battalion of Somali military, Abdiaziz Abdullahi Qoje were at the hotel during the attack but said to escaped unhurt.
A military official who spoke to the media condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media said that the two officials returned from remote areas where they were leading efforts to deescalate clan hostilities.
“The officials booked the hotel after they succeeded to end clan clashes in the region. They were having meeting with other military officials at the time of the blast,” he said.
Al-Shabab has claimed the responsibility for the attack saying the blast killed over ten government soldiers.
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