At least five civilians were killed and more than 10 others wounded after al-Shabab militants fired mortars in a residential areas of Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu.
Security Ministry Spokesman Abdulaziz Ali Ibrahim confirmed to VOA Somali the casualties were the results of a mortar attack.
Security experts in Mogadishu told VOA Somali three 60mm mortars landed near mid-day in a civilian neighborhood in Wadajir district near the headquarters of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) at Mogadishu airport.
The al-Shabab militant group claimed responsibility for the attack Sunday and said it targeted the AU forces headquarters.
U.N. Deputy Special Representative for Somalia Peter de Clercq says such attacks by al-Shabab are a “desperate” activity by the militant group.
“These are hit and run attacks, they take extremely high risks themselves in that respect of being detected, but they were willing to take those risks,” de Clercq told VOA during an interview in Mogadishu. “Desperate people are very difficult to stop, they have no concern for their own security, safety or lives, that is clearly the case here.”
