Hiiraan Online
Sunday, March 6, 2016
MOGADISHU (HOL) – At least four people, including an African Union soldier were killed in five simultaneous roadside bomb blasts targeting an African Union force convoy travelling in the south-western Somali town of Bardhere on Saturday, witnesses, and officials said.
Witnesses told HOL that seven people were also wounded in the blasts that left nearby cars twisted and disrupted the military convoy’s journey for hours.
Security forces have reportedly cut off all Communication services in the town after the powerful blasts, followed by sounds of gunfire by the Ethiopian-AU troops who dispersed people around the scene.
The blast occurred as the troops were on their way to a military camp in the town which once served as a major rebel stronghold, before the allied forces ousted Al Shabab fighters last year.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, however, the Al-Qaeda linked Al Shabab continues to carry out steady attacks on Somali troops and African Union forces backing them in fighting militants in Somalia.
Despite being ousted from large swathes in south and central Somalia, the Al Shabab group continues to carry out guerrilla attacks across Somalia, in spite of a major military offensive that saw allied forces seized most of militants’ key strongholds often carries out such attacks.