At least 18 people were killed and 20 wounded on Friday when two car bombs exploded in the Somali capital of Mogadishu, the city’s main ambulance service said. The bombings targeted the presidential palace and a city hotel, police said. “I can confirm an attack in the vicinity of the presidential palace,” said police officer Ibrahim Mohamed. The Islamist militant group the Shabaab, claimed the attacks in a statement posted online, saying it was targeting the government and security services. While the militant group was pushed out of the capital in 2011 by an African Union force it continues to control large parts of the countryside and launch regular attacks on government, military and civilian targets.

Source: Dhaka Tribune February 23, 2018 19:07 UTC