MOGADISHU (Garowe Online) – Islamist rebels ambushed an armored convoy transporting Somalia’s internal affairs minister Saturday in the outskirts of the capital Mogadishu, sources said.
Muse Nur Amin, the Interior Minister, was in one of the vehicles but his car was not directly hit by the insurgents.
But two other cars which were part of the Interior Minister’s convoy were laced with bullets and later captured by the insurgents, according to witnesses.
At least four government soldiers were killed and two others wounded, with the Interior Minister escaping the ambush unhurt.
Ali “Ganey” Adan, a police commander in Lower Shabelle region, confirmed to reporters that Interior Minister Amin’s convoy was attacked and local authorities dispatched police units to the area reinforce the government minister.
Al Shabaab spokesman Muktar Robow “Abu Mansur,” who claimed responsibility for the deadly ambush in Lower Shabelle region, bragged that no one on their side was hurt during the skirmish.
In Mogadishu, at least 11 people died from a series of overnight attacks, including two Ethiopian Woyanne soldiers who were killed when their vehicle came under rocket fire in northern Mogadishu.
Five civilians were reported dead when shells hit their homes following street fighting between insurgents and government forces, locals said.
Somalia has been mired in armed conflict since 1991, but the ongoing war is being waged between Ethiopian Woyanne-backed government troops and Islamist-led rebels.