Military General Odowa issues statement on today’s suicide bombing in Mogadishu
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The Commander of the Somali National Army, General Odowa Yusuf Rage has issued a statement on the suicide bombing that took place this morning at General Dhaga Badan base in Wadajir District in Banadir region.
General Odowa described the casualties caused by the blast, which was carried out by a suicide bomber, and confirmed that 10 young recruits who were trying to join the army had been killed with 20 others wounded.
The commander said the blast took place at a checkpoint at the entrance to the camp, while the young recruits were waiting to be searched in order to enter the military base when the suicide bomber, who was wearing an explosives vest, joined the line and detonated his vest.
“God have mercy on the ten youths who wanted to join the army but were killed and the 20 others who were injured outside the checkpoint at General Dhaga Badan military base. The youths were waiting to be searched when the suicide bomber detonated, killing the new recruits waiting in line” he said.
At least 20 of the new recruits also seriously injured and taken to medical facilities in Mogadishu for treatment.
The explosion comes after there had been security alerts earlier this month indicating that Al Shabab militants had entered the city to undertake in suicide missions ahead of the upcoming elections in Somalia.
Al-Shabaab suicide bombers have been on the rise in Mogadishu in recent months after government forces cracked down on improvised explosive device (IED) vehicles entering the city.
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