Africa

Home page

Africa

Somali State Minister of Defense Survives Bomb Attack

16 February 2010 04:14 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. Somali State Minister of Defense Yusuf Mohamed Indha’adde survived a car bomb explosion that killed two passers-by Monday in Mogadishu, security officials and witnesses said, APA reports quoting Al Jazeera.

An explosives-laden parked vehicle was remote-detonated near the Ambassador Hotel on Mogadishu’s Maka al-Mukarama road where Indha’adde was holding meetings, the sources said.

"They were targeting the minister but he and his people were unharmed," police officer Aden Ali told AFP.

Several eyewitnesses said two civilians were killed in the explosion, which sparked an exchange of fire in the neighborhood. They also said government forces shot a suspect shortly after the failed attack on Indha’adde, one of the most powerful figures in Somalia’s security apparatus.