At least 16 people have been killed in a suicide truck bomb attack in the southeastern Somalia town of Beledwein. Among the dead are both civilians and police officers.
The explosion of the bomb, found in a truck, caused significant damage to nearby commercial buildings and schools, meaning the death toll could rise. According to the police, the number of injured is at least 30 people.
The target of the attack in the capital of Hiran district is not yet known. There is a checkpoint nearby to collect tolls from truck drivers.
So far, no one has claimed responsibility for the attack. In the past, however, similar attacks were carried out by the jihadist group “Ash Shabab”.
Al-Shabaab has controlled parts of the East African country for years, especially in the south, where the militia exercises control over vast territories.
