MOGADISHU: Twin car bombs exploded in Somalia`s capital on Friday, killing 18 people and wounding 20 others, the city`s ambulance service said, and Islamist militant group al Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack.

Shooting broke out near the president`s residence at the time of the blasts, police and ambulance services said.

"So far we carried 18 dead people and 20 others injured from the blasts tonight," Abdikadir Abdirahman, the director of Amin ambulances, told Reuters.

A big cloud of smoke rose near the palace and gunfire erupted near the president`s residence, a Reuters witness said.

Police and witnesses said the second blast was a car bomb parked in front of a hotel away from the palace.

Police said the first car bomb went off after suspected militants breached a checkpoint near the president`s residence by shooting at security personnel at the checkpoint.

"The militants got off when they neared the palace, the suicide car bomb exploded outside the palace where there were many military soldiers who guarded the street adjacent to the palace," Major Omar Abdullahi told Reuters.

Al Shabaab, who have claimed responsibility for previous bombings and gun attacks in the capital, said they killed 15 soldiers in Friday`s attack.

"Two operations including two car bomb martyrdoms went on around the presidential palace and a national security forces’ base called Habar Kadija," al Shabaab`s military spokesman, Abdiasis Abu Musab, told Reuters.

The group, which is linked to al Qaeda, wants to overthrow the Somali government and impose its own harsh interpretation of Islamic law. It has killed hundreds of civilians across East Africa and thousands of Somalis in a decade-long insurgency.

The streets around the palace and near the new hotel were surrounded by security forces who denied access to ambulances and reporters, witnesses said.

In October, more than 500 people were killed in twin bomb blasts in Mogadishu. The bomb attacks were the deadliest since al Shabaab began an insurgency in 2007. Al Shabaab did not claim responsibility for that incident. </s> MOGADISHU (Reuters) - Twin car bombs killed 18 people in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu on Friday in an attack by the Islamist militant group al Shabaab, but security forces shot dead five assailants, officials said.

Shooting broke out near the president’s residence at the time of the explosions, police and ambulance services said.

“So far we carried 18 dead people and 20 others injured from the blasts tonight,” Abdikadir Abdirahman, the director of Amin Ambulances, told Reuters.

Police said the first car bomb went off after militants breached a checkpoint near the president’s residence by shooting at security personnel. The second blast was a car bomb parked in front of a hotel away from the palace.

“The militants got off when they neared the palace, the suicide car bomb exploded outside the palace where there were many military soldiers who guarded the street adjacent to the palace,” Major Omar Abdullahi told Reuters.

Al Shabaab, who have claimed responsibility for previous bombings and gun attacks in the capital, said they killed 15 soldiers in Friday’s attack, but this could not be confirmed.

“Two operations including two car bomb martyrdoms went on around the presidential palace and a national security forces’ base called Habar Kadija,” al Shabaab military spokesman Abdiasis Abu Musab said.

The group, which is linked to al Qaeda, wants to overthrow the Somali government and impose its own harsh interpretation of Islamic law. It has killed hundreds of civilians across East Africa and thousands of Somalis in a decade-long insurgency.

Security Minister Mohamed Abukar Islow said the security forces had subdued the al Shabaab attackers and killed five of them.

“The security minister confirmed the operation was concluded and that the five militants who launched the attack were shot dead,” the state news aganey quoted him as saying.

Al Shabaab’s Abu Musab said their fighters were yet to be subdued.

The streets around the palace and the hotel were surrounded by security forces, witnesses said.

In October, more than 500 people were killed in twin bomb blasts in Mogadishu. The bomb attacks were the deadliest since al Shabaab began an insurgency in 2007. Al Shabaab did not claim responsibility for that incident. </s> Blast near the Presidential Palace in Mogadishu targeted a security checkpoint with soldiers among the dead.

Mogadishu, Somalia - A deadly car bomb blast targeting a security checkpoint near the Presidential Palace in the Somali capital has killed at least five people and wounded several others.

Security officials at the scene told Reuters news agency on Tuesday the checkpoint 500 metres from the palace was rammed by a car bomb driven by a suicide attacker, causing the explosion outside a theatre.

"At least five people were killed including security personnel and 10 others wounded," said Abdifatah Omar Halane, spokesman for the Mogadishu administration, told AFP news agency.

Mohamed Hussein, a police officer, said: "Casualty numbers may rise. There were pedestrians along the street at the time of the explosion."

Radio Kulmiye journalist Farhio Hussein told Al Jazeera the victims included Somali soldiers at the checkpoint in downtown Mogadishu. The scene of the blast was close to second gate of Presidential Palace.

"I was at the radio station when I heard huge bang of the explosion. I opened the window and saw huge black smoke. I counted five charred bodies lying on the scene," Hussein said.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

Al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab, which is fighting to overthrow the Somali government, has been blamed for a string of attacks in Mogadishu.

Al-Shabab was forced out of the capital by African Union troops in 2011 but still controls parts of the countryside and carries out attacks against government, military, and civilian targets in the capital and regional towns.

Last week, at least five people were killed and 12 others injured in two separate car bombings in Mogadishu.

As well as insecurity, Somalia is also battling famine, with three million going hungry because of a drought that is also affecting other parts of Africa. </s> Somalia blast kills at least 6 near presidential palace

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Police in Somalia say a suicide car bombing near the presidential palace has killed at least six people and wounded several others.

Col. Ahmed Mohamud says those killed in the Saturday morning blast include soldiers and civilians.

Capt. Mohamed Hussein says the bomber targeted a military checkpoint near the rear entrance of the heavily fortified palace.

Police say lawmakers and other officials had been traveling nearby on what is a business day in the Horn of Africa nation.

A second blast was heard shortly afterward nearby in Mogadishu as a plume of smoke rose over the capital.

There is no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast. The al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab extremist group often targets the capital. </s> Mogadishu: At least 18 people have been killed and 20 others injured in twin bomb attacks in Somali capital Mogadishu, officials said. Aamin Ambulance Director Abdukadir Abdirahman said 18 people died in Friday’s twin bombings, one of which targetted the presidential palace, Xinhua news agency reported.

“I can confirm to you that we have recorded 18 bodies. Another 20 were injured and we have transported them to various hospitals in the city,” Abdirahman said. Somali security forces managed to thwart an attack at the presidential palace, repulsing militants pushing to enter the compound. A vehicle loaded with explosives exploded near Villa Somalia as security forces pursued it.

Earlier, police told Xinhua security forces manning Villa Somalia repulsed militants who were trying to storm into the palace, killing three of them. “They tried to storm into Villa Somalia but our forces fought them back. The forces were pursuing the vehicle as it headed towards the palace but exploded before reaching the target,” police officer Ahmed Abdulle told Xinhua.

The first explosion went off at around 6 p.m. on Friday, when a vehicle loaded with explosives hit the newly opened Dorbin hotel, near the intelligence headquarters. A second explosion went off shortly after near Villa Somalia. Witnesses recounted of the turn of the events.

“We heard a huge explosion followed by a lot of gunfire near the parliament building. We were told Sayidka hotel was being attacked,” Yasmin Mohamed said. Militant group Al-Shabaab has claimed responsibility for the attack, which came barely a day after Security Minister Mohamed Islow warned of a minivan loaded with explosives in Mogadishu. Security forces have in the past week cordoned off roads and launched major security operations in the city amid reports of an impending attack. </s> Two car bombs and gunfire near the presidential palace in Mogadishu has left up to 38 people dead and 20 others wounded according to conflicting reports. Al-Shabab, an Al-Qaeda linked terrorist group, has claimed responsibility for Friday’s deadly attack, which appeared to be coordinated. One of the car bombs targeted the presidential palace, while a second blast took place near a popular hotel. Both cars were driven by suicide bombers, according to an Al-Shabab spokesman. Somali officials claim that five attackers were shot and killed in a subsequent firefight. The incident comes a day after the Somali government issued a “terror warning” in the capital. In October, 500 people were killed by a truck bomb in Mogadishu – one of Somali’s deadliest terror attacks. </s> MOGADISHU, Somalia — Police in Somalia say a car bomb has exploded at a military checkpoint near the presidential palace in the capital, killing at least five people.

Capt. Mohamed Hussein says Tuesday's blast was detonated after soldiers tried to stop the car.

Hussein says three other people have been injured.

Witness Ahmed Ali says he saw the bodies of two soldiers after the blast.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast.

Extremist group al-Shabab often claims responsibility for deadly bombings in Mogadishu.

The blast comes a few hours after Somalia's new prime minister unveiled a 26-member cabinet. </s> Image copyright Universal TV / Reuters Image caption The attack was claimed by Islamist militants

Two car-bomb attacks have killed at least 38 people in the Somali capital Mogadishu, officials say.

The first took place outside the presidential palace late on Friday. The second hit a nearby hotel. Dozens of people were wounded.

The Islamist militant group al-Shabab, which has been trying to oust Somalia's government, says it was behind both.

A gun battle followed the attack near the presidential palace in which five militants were killed, officials say.

Friday's bombings are the latest in a series of attacks attributed to al-Shabab, which once controlled Mogadishu before being forced out by African Union troops in 2011.

Last October, more than 500 people were killed by a truck bomb in the city. Officials blamed al-Shabab but the group never said it was behind that attack.

Image copyright Reuters Image caption Injured civilians were taken to hospital

The latest incident began when a vehicle failed to stop at a checkpoint outside the presidential palace before being blown up, state media say. This was followed by an exchange of fire between militants and security forces.

Then a parked car exploded near the hotel. However, al-Shabab said it had targeted security forces.

The group said five of its fighters, including the two drivers, had been "martyred" and 35 soldiers were killed in the attacks.

A police spokesman told Reuters news agency: "There were many military soldiers who guarded the street adjacent to the palace." </s> MOGADISHU — Police in Somalia say a suicide car bombing near the presidential palace has killed at least six people and wounded several others. Col. Ahmed Mohamud says those killed in the Saturday morning blast include soldiers and civilians.

Capt. Mohamed Hussein says the bomber targeted a military checkpoint near the rear entrance of the heavily fortified palace.

Police say lawmakers and other officials had been traveling nearby on what is a business day in the Horn of Africa nation.

A second blast was heard shortly afterward nearby in Mogadishu as a plume of smoke rose over the capital.

Islamist terrorist group al-Shabaab has since claimed responsibility for deadly bomb blasts.

The group was targeting security checkpoints protecting the presidential palace, the group said on pro-insurgent radio station Andalus.
Twin explosions rock Mogadishu killing 11 and injuring over 25. The first bomb went off near a checkpoint for the presidential palace killing nine and the other bomb killed the two occupants in the vehicle. Al Shabbab claimed responsibility.