Eight people killed in blast at military base in Somalia’s capital

As many as eight people were killed and 14 wounded in a massive blast that shook a military base in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu near a stadium on Saturday, rescue workers said.

According to the reports, the militant group Al Shabaab has claimed responsibility for the attack.

“Soldiers opened fire after the explosion which sent clouds of smoke into the sky,” according to an eye-witness.

“We ran indoors in fear,” the eye-witness said, adding that, “Soon I could see a military pickup speeding and carrying many soldiers covered with blood. I do not know if they were all dead or injured.”

Meanwhile, an Army officer Major Abdullahi Mohamud said it was an attack. “It must be a suicide car bomb, I am now transporting casualties”.

On the other hand, the military operations spokesman of the al Shabaab group while claiming responsibility for the incident said: “We conducted a successful martyrdom operation on a major apostate military base in Mogadishu.”

“The enemy suffered many casualties and wounded, military vehicles destroyed,” he added.