Somalia Somalia: Al Shabaab carry out suicide car attack in Afgoye
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Jun 16, 2012 - 9:31:00 AM
AFGOYE, Somalia Jun 16 2012 (Garowe Online) – A car full of
explosives was smashed into a base used by Somali forces in the town of Afgoye,
by an Al Shabaab agent on Saturday , Radio Garowe reports.
The suicide attack Saturday afternoon was claimed by Al
Shabaab, who said that they had killed over dozens of people in the attack in
the Afgoye corridor, which is located 30 kms from
Mogadishu.
According to local sources, the car was packed full with
explosives and the blast could be heard in neighboring districts.
Although the number of casualties has not been independently
verified, authorities say that there were no casualties but forces stationed at
the base sustained injuries in the suicide attack.
The town of
Afgoye
had been a strategic location for the terrorist organization that fled after
allied forces entered the city. This is the first suicide attack in the Afgoye
corridor which was recently captured by Somali and African Union forces.
Earlier this week the town was visited by Transitional
Federal Government (TFG) President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, who had been attacked
on an earlier visit to Afgoye earlier this month.
President Sharif had visited the town after there were reports of
civilian abuses committed by Somali forces. The president met with elders and
community leaders in the town and promised to resolve the abuse cases.