Welcome to Africanews

Please select your experience

Watch Live

News

news

Somalia: Six dead after gunmen attack

Somalia

Gunmen have killed six people in a drive-by shooting, including two Turkish hospital workers, in the latest violence to hit Somalia’s capital Mogadishu, authorities said on Thursday.

Reports said another half a dozen were also injured in the attack.

Update Galkaio blast ,at least 6 people were confirmed dead &some parts of Unlaye hotel is destroyed. #BREAKING #Somalia more update follow

— Mohamed Moalimuu (@MOALIMUU) March 31, 2016

“Six civilians, two of them Turkish nationals, have been killed, and six more were wounded,” said Abdifatah Omar Halane, spokesman for the Mogadishu city authorities. The shooting took place late Wednesday.

Somalia’s Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke condemned the attack.

“We condemn this cowardly act, and our thoughts are with the relatives of the victims and the Turkish government,” Sharmarke said in a statement.

“These innocent Turkish citizens have lost their lives while supporting their Somali brothers,” he said.

Turkey is a major investor in, and donor to, Somalia.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

In a separate incident Wednesday, witnesses said four people were killed, including three civilians caught in the crossfire, during a shootout between members of rival units within the Somali army.

“The soldiers were trying to shoot another soldier, but they have killed him together with three civilians who were passing by,” said Abdirasak Ali, a witness. Several other witnesses confirmed the deaths.

Somalia’s Al-Qaeda-affiliated Al Shabaab militants, who are fighting to overthrow the country’s internationally-backed government, carry out regular attacks in Mogadishu but the seaside capital is anarchic and is still awash with weapons after decades of war.

View more