Three Somali soldiers killed in attempt to defuse car bomb

Three Somali soldiers died in a car bomb explosion in the capital Mogadishu on Wednesday morning while trying to defuse a car bomb.

The men were dismantling a part of the car when the device went off.

“First two soldiers died and another was injured. The third soldier died of the blast wounds minutes later,” police major Mohamed Hussein told Reuters.

Al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab claimed responsibility but gave different details.

“Five mine experts including security officials and foreigners died in the Mogadishu blast,” its military affairs spokesman Abdiasis Abu Musab said.

Police officer Hussein said all the dead were Somalis.

Two occupants of the car fled the scene after the explosion, local news portal Shabelle News reported.

This is the second explosion this week after Monday’s attack at a cafe in southwestern Somalia that injured at least seven people including government officials.

Militants from the al Qaeda-affiliated group al Shabaab have carried out frequent attacks in Mogadishu as they fight to topple Somalia’s Western-backed government and drive out African Union peacekeeping troops.