Explosion at Baladweyne Mosque kills 2, Wounds 12

A hand grenade was hurled at a mosque in Baladweyne town of central Somalia on Thursday night and the blast killed at least two and injured twelve others, witnesses said.

The attack took place during evening prayers at a Mosque in Baladweyne’s Hodan neighbourhood.

Witnesses said at least 12 people were taken to a nearby hospital.

“I saw two dead bodies and 12 injured people with some of them had heavy injuries, one of which looked like he had lost both hands,” said Omar, a witness who did not wish to reveal his full name.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

Goobjoog News Correspondent Khaalid Mohamud, reporting from Baladweyne, said tensions were high in the city on Thursday night.

Police and security officials quickly descended to the scene and launched security operations to pursue the perpetrators.

The incident comes less than twelve hours after suicide bomber blew himself up at a café in Galkayo town that killed 10 people and injured 8 others.

Somalia’s Al Qaeda-affiliated Shabaab rebels said they carried out the attack, in a statement broadcast on the insurgents’ Radio Andalus.

“The mujahedeen fighters targeted the head of the finances for Puntland in the Mudug region, and together with five of his security guards they were killed in the attack,” the radio broadcast said quoting Shabaab commanders.

Galkayo, which straddles the border between the two districts of Puntland and Galmudug, lies some 650 kilometres north-east of the capital Mogadishu.

On Wednesday evening, gunmen killed six people in a drive-by shooting, including two Turkish hospital workers, authorities said.

“Six civilians, two of them Turkish nationals, have been killed, and six more were wounded,” said Abdifatah Omar Halane, spokesman for the Mogadishu city authorities, said on Thursday.

Those killed also included the driver and security guards of the Turks.

Somalia’s Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke condemned the attack.

“We condemn this cowardly act, and our thoughts are with the relatives of the victims and the Turkish government,” Sharmarke said in a statement. ”These innocent Turkish citizens have lost their lives while supporting their Somali brothers.”

Turkey is a major investor in, and donor to, Somalia. No group has so far claimed responsibility.

In a separate incident on Wednesday, witnesses said four people were killed, including three civilians caught in the crossfire, during a shootout between members of rival units within the Somali army.