Hiiraan Online
Saturday, April 9, 2016
MOGADISHU (HOL) - Somali police seized several mortars used to shell Somali capital along with two suspected militants in a minibus that suspected militants used to launch mortar shells that hit parts of the seaside city on Thursday evening, officials said Friday.
The attacks claimed by the Al-Qaeda linked Al Shabab group killed at least two civilians in Mogadishu which has seen similar attacks by the group in recent months.
Gen, Ali Hersi Barre, Mogadishu’s police chief told reporters that police soldiers stopped the vehicle which was intercepted at a checkpoint in the city few minutes after the vehicle-mounted mortar
shells were launched into the city.
The attackers have reportedly resisted the arrests, prompting gunfire with security forces who arrested two of the four militants in a follow-up search and pursuit.
“Police force using intelligence tip-offs seized the car– and the two men who had injuries were later arrested at a hospital in Mogadishu.” He told reporters Friday.
Al Shabab group which claimed the responsibility for the mortar attacks often uses vehicle-mounted mortars to launch attacks that largely targeted the presidential palace in the city.
The hilltop presidential palace serves as the residence of the president, prime minister and the speaker of the parliament.
Despite losing key strongholds, Al-Shabab remains a security threat to the horn of Africa nation struggling to recover from decades of war.