Somali general, 7 bodyguards killed in suspected car bomb attack -police

A Somali general and at least seven of his bodyguards were killed on Sunday when their military convoy was hit by a suspected car bomb, a police officer said on Sunday.

“Military General Mohamed Roble Jimale and at least seven of his bodyguards died,” police colonel Abdikadir Farah told Reuters. The general was also known by the name Goobaanle. Many Somalis have a nickname often as commonly used as their proper name.

Farah said the suspected car bomb hit the vehicle in which the general was travelling. Another police officer blamed the Somali Islamist group al Shabaab. (Reporting by Abdi Sheikh; Writing by Edmund Blair; Editing by Susan Fenton)