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Mogadishu twin blast kill At least 8 people near Somali’s presidential palace

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At least eight people have died and scores injured in a twin blast and gun battle near the presidential palace in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu.(Courtesy)

MOGADISHU—At least eight people have died and scores injured in a twin blast and gun battle near the presidential palace in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu.

Captain Mohamed Hussein told the press that security officers were able to foil the attack that was targeting the presidential palace adding  that the situation had calmed and security in the area was being tightened.

“The first bomb detonated a security checkpoint near the presidential palace, where security forces also prevented Al Shabaab attackers from entering the SYL hotel, and minutes later another car bomb exploded nearby,” he said.

“The total number of casualties still remains unclear, but three people, including two Al Shabaab attackers, were killed,” he added.

Local media reported that more than eight people, including soldiers, were wounded in the attack.

The Midday attack occurred shortly after President Farmajo left the country for Brussels, Belgium for a Somali partnership forum set to kick off next week.

The Somali-based insurgent group Al Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack, saying that its militants had attacked the presidential palace and SYL hotel in Mogadishu.

The attack comes a week after Al Shabaab attacked Somalia’s Interior Ministry building in Mogadishu, killing at least nine people, including two ministry officials.

The threat from what has become the deadliest Islamic extremist group in sub-Saharan Africa has hurt efforts to strengthen Somalia’s fragile government and stabilize the long-chaotic Horn of Africa nation.

The militia group has also in the recent past staged attacks targeting security officials in areas around the Kenya-Somalia border.

On Tuesday,  Al-Shabaab militants attacked Hamey police post in Liboi village near the Kenya-Somalia border at 2am.

Garissa County Commissioner Joshua Chepchieng stated that though the security officials managed to repulse, the attackers made away with a police car, guns, several rounds of ammunition and destroyed a communication mast in the area leaving locals with no network.

Besides Somalia the terror group has made more attacks in Kenya than any other Frontline state.

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