Death toll from Mogadishu blast rises

ABDIRAZAK HUSSEIN FARAH / AFP

The death toll from Thursday's car bomb attack in Somalia has risen to 29.

That's according to local police, who say that another 80 people were wounded in the explosion at a hotel in the capital, Mogadishu.

Following the attack, a gun battle took place between security forces and militants from the terror group Al Shabaab, which was behind the blast and took control of the building.

The main street of Maka Al Mukaram, on which the hotel is located, remains closed as the operation against the terrorists is ongoing.

More from International news

News

  • 'Peace is not far away' says Erdogan after Putin meeting

    Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, fresh from a meeting with Russia's Vladimir Putin, said he hopes to discuss a Ukraine-Russia peace plan with US President Donald Trump, adding that "peace is not far away".

  • UAE, Serbia deepen ties with new political agreement

    His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Serbia’s Foreign Minister Marko Đurić. have agreed to deepen political coordination after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during talks in Abu Dhabi.

  • UAE strengthens child protection measures

    The UAE has introduced changes to its laws governing the care of children of unknown parentage, expanding custody options and strengthening child protection measures.