One killed and two others injured in grenade attack at kiosk in Qoryooley

At least two people have been killed and two others including government soldiers were wounded in a hand grenade explosion at kiosk in a northwest Somalia town Tuesday afternoon, witness said.

According local residents, a hand grenade was hurled at a kiosk where several government soldiers were buying cigarettes.

Mohamed Omar, a witness said two masked men threw the bomb at the shop and the blast injured a civilian and a soldier who at the area.

Security forces launched investigations after the attack and arrested at least two suspects, according to the mayor of the town.

Though no one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, the region has witnessed frequent Al-Shabaab activity.

The group has carried out a string of such assaults in the area that have killed civilians and government officials.

Qoryooley, an agricultural town, is 120km (72 miles) north-west of Mogadishu and was a major stronghold of the Al-Shabab fighters until 2014 when government and African Union forces took over.

It lies on a strategic crossroads for routes to the northwest towns of Somalia.