Somali security forces carry away the bodies of those who died in clashes between attackers and soldiers in the Banadir Regional Administration, Mogadishu, Somalia, on January 22, 2023. (Farah Abdi Warsameh/AP Photo)
MOGADISHU, Somalia—Terrorists linked to al-Qaeda attacked a local government office in the Somali capital on Sunday, killing five civilians, the government said.
Abdul Qadir Adan, founder of Armin Ambulance Service, told the Associated Press that his team had recovered 16 injured people from the scene.
The al-Shabab terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the attack on the Banadir regional administration headquarters in Mogadishu.
Headquarters officials said the attack began with a suicide bomber before gunmen broke in and opened fire with guards. Staff member Mustafa Abdul said most of the workers were rescued by security forces.
Al-Shabaab often carries out attacks in Mogadishu. The federal government last year declared “total war” against terrorist groups and recaptured many communities held by fighters in central and southern Somalia.
Omar Falk