Al-Shabab militants kill 30 in twin Somalia blasts

MOGADISHU — At least 30 people have been killed in twin bomb attacks claimed by Al-Shabab militants at a busy restaurant in the Somali city of Baidoa, the regional governor said on Monday. “The official number of the dead has reached 30 people — all of them civilians — and 61 others have been wounded, 15 of them seriously,” Abdurashid Abdulahi, governor of Bay region, said. An initial car bomb struck a popular restaurant in a busy part of the regional capital on Sunday afternoon, with a suicide bomber nearby hitting people as they fled the area. “The explosion occurred in a densely populated area,” said Abdirahman Ibrahim, a police officer in Baidoa. Another policeman, Abdi Hared, said there were “twin blasts” from a car bomb and a suicide bomber. The explosions shredded the roofs of nearby buildings, tore chunks out of vehicles and left bodies, plastic chairs and tables strewn across the road. The Al-Qaeda aligned Al-Shabab militants claimed responsiblity for the attacks, saying local officials were targeted. “The mujahideen carried out two massive explosions in Baidoa targeting restaurants used by members of the apostate South West Administration,” Al-Shabab said in a statement. — AFP