5 dead in car explosion in Mogadishu

Five people including a former government official were killed and six others injured after a carbomb went off near a main junction in Somali capital Mogadishu, police and witnesses said. The bombed was fixed into the vehicle of Abdi Kafi Hilowle, former secretary of Mogadishu administration. It went off near the main K4 junction, killing Hilowle and two of his body guards as well as two passersby. "Abdi kafi and his bodyguards died as a result of the explosion which occurred apparently within the vehicle of the official" police officer Husen Ali said. Officer Ali said that two civilian passersby were also killed by the explosion. Witnesses said six more people, including students from a nearby school, were injured in the blast. State Radio Mogadishu confirmed the death of Hilowle. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but the Islamist Al-Shabaab fighters had threatened to target government official and security forces as well as African Union peacekeeping Mission (AMISOM). Al-Shabaab had previously claimed responsibility of attacks against Somali government officials including two lawmakers killed in Mogadishu last month.