Car bomb in Somalia kills at least 3 police officers

Islamist militants in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, set off a vehicle packed with explosives next to a cafe near a police building on Wednesday, March 9, killing at least three police officers.

The Islamist al Shabaab group, which wants to topple the Western-backed government, claimed responsibility. A spokesman for the group told Reuters that 10 police officers were killed, a figure that was higher than the three deaths police reported.

Al-Shabaab claims suicide car bomb at #Mogadishu police station today, at least 3 officers killed-by Hamza_Africa: https://t.co/SwTE9RNmwy

— Zoe Flood (Zoe_Flood) March 9, 2016

Al Shabaab often cites a higher death toll than the figure given by officials.

“We managed to capture the driver of the suicide car, he survived but is wounded. Sadly three of our officers were killed in the explosion and the investigation is still going on,” said Ali Mohamed Hirsi, the commander of Mogadishu police.

Police said a second device went off, but caused no casualties after police spotted it beforehand and caught two men in the small, three-wheeled vehicle.

In the past two weeks, al Shabaab has launched mortar bomb attacks near the presidential palace, blown up a car bomb near a busy park in Mogadishu, and set off twin blasts in a town northwest of the capital. Dozens of people have been killed.

U.S. air strikes targeted an al Shabaab facility on Saturday and U.S. officials said more than 150 fighters were killed.

Al Shabaab confirmed an attack on an area they controlled but said the U.S. casualty figure was exaggerated without giving their own number.

In Photos: The grim aftermath of twin Car Bomb Blasts on restaurant in Baidoa town on Sunday by #Alshabaab. #Somalia pic.twitter.com/UQdmzuYVqu

— Omar Nor (@Omaar_nor) February 29, 2016