At least 20 dead, 30 wounded after explosion in Somalia’s capital

The death toll has increased to at least 20, with 30 wounded after a vehicle packed with explosives rammed into a popular restaurant in Somalia’s capital of Mogadishu on Friday night, the government news agency reported Saturday. 

“So far we have carried 20 dead people and 30 injured from the blast scene,” Dr. Abdulkadir Aden, founder of AAMIN Ambulance services told Reuters.

Sadiq Ali Adan, a police spokesman blamed the attack on the local al-Shabab extremist group, which is linked to al-Qaida and often targets Mogadishu with bombings. 

According to witnesses, the blast occurred at the Luul Yemeni restaurant near the port.

Some houses near the restaurant collapsed after the dinnertime blast, and police said that caused several deaths.

Destruction of the property was reported by Somalia’s state-controlled Radio Mogadishu Police had cordoned the area according to the report. 

No one claimed responsibility for the blast.