Mortar attack in Somalia kills three people - peacekeepers

<p>A mortar attack in the Somali capital Mogadishu, claimed by Islamist group al Shabaab, killed three civilians and injured two others on Thursday, the African Union peacekeeping force <span class="caps">AMISOM</span> said.</p> <p>The mortar rounds were fired near a stadium, Lieutenant Colonel Wilson Rono, <span class="caps">AFRICOM</span> spokesman, told Reuters.</p> <p>Earlier on Thursday, al Shabaab militants set off a suicide car bomb at a checkpoint about 15 km (nine miles) outside the capital. At least five people were injured including soldiers, police officer Ali Roble told Reuters.</p> <p>A second police officer, Abdullahi Nur, told Reuters that many vehicles had been parked at the checkpoint for inspection when the blast occurred.</p> <p>Al Shabaab frequently carries out bombings in Mogadishu and elsewhere in Somalia in their effort to bring down the Western-backed federal government and drive out the <span class="caps">AMISOM</span> forces defending it.</p> <p>On Friday, twin car bomb blasts in Mogadishu – claimed by al Shabaab – killed 45 people.</p> <p>Abdiasis Abu Musab, al Shabaab’s military operations spokesman, told Reuters the group was responsible for both the mortar attack and the car bombing.</p> <p><strong><em><span class="caps">REUTERS</span></em></strong></p>