Three killed in car bomb attack on peacekeepers’ Somali HQ

At least three people were killed when a suicide attacker set off a car bomb at a checkpoint outside the main base of an African Union peacekeeping force in the Somali capital on Monday (January2), police said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Islamist al Shabaab militants, who want to topple the Western-backed government, have carried out similar attacks in the past.

The death toll was likely to go up because the bomb was powerful and it had caused damage even to nearby residential buildings.

A burnt-out shell of the bomber’s car and another vehicle nearby on fire could be seen at the scene.

Nearly 300 members of Somalia’s federal parliament were sworn in last week and they are expected to pick a new president.