At least 100 killed, 300 hurt in ‘heinous’ Mogadishu car bombings

Somali president says death toll to rise further after Saturday’s twin bombings that targeted the education ministry.

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has said at least 100 people have been killed and 300 wounded in two car bomb explosions in the country’s capital, Mogadishu.

Mohamud blamed the al-Shabab armed group for the attacks and told reporters on Sunday that he expected the death toll from the twin blasts to rise further.

Authorities said the attack on Saturday targeted the Somali education ministry and a school and took place at the busy Sobe intersection.

Sadiq Doodishe, a police spokesperson, told reporters that women, children, and the elderly had been killed in the attack.

State news agency said independent journalist Mohamed Isse Kona was also killed.

The first explosion hit the ministry; then the second blast occurred as ambulances arrived and people gathered to help the victims, one

police officer said.

Moments after the blasts, a large plume of smoke rose over the site.

The Aamin ambulance service said on Saturday that they had collected at least 35 wounded. One ambulance responding to the first attack was destroyed by the second blast, director Abdulkadir Adan added in a tweet.

Agencies