20 dead in Mogadishu bombing amid electoral gridlock

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: Twenty people were killed Friday night following a terrorist bomb attack at a restaurant near the port of Mogadishu.

Medical services provider Aamin Ambulance said it registered a count of 20 dead during the attack on Lul Yamani restaurant in Hamar Jajab district.

Somali Police Force however put the death toll at 10 and that 30 people were injured.

The attack came barely hours after the Federal Government deployed security forces across the city in anticipation of today’s protests by the opposition.

The Council of Presidential Candidates (CPC) however said Friday evening they were calling off the protests. Former President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said in a tweet the protests will go ahead later but the decision to call off was because the government had blocked them from providing their own security.

The attack Friday night comes amid an ongoing political tussle between the opposition and the outgoing administration of Mohamed Farmaajo. Talks between the CPC and Prime Minister Roble collapsed Thursday as each side accused the other in separate press briefings.

Similarly, Farmaajo has not been able to marshall the support of the Federal Member States to agree on the elections which have been delayed at least three times.

The continuing political squabbles, analysts said give a leeway for the militant group Al-Shabaab to up its attacks against civilians and government posts.