Car bomb blast targets journalists in Somalia's Mogadishu

Two Somali state media journalists have been wounded in a car bomb blast that targeted their vehicle near the Somalia's Security Ministry building in the capital Mogadishu.

"The attack was a car bomb blast parked near the Security Ministry building in Mogadishu, targeting a vehicle carrying state media senior journalists, including veteran journalist Abdiaziz Afrika, who was seriously wounded," a police officer told Anadolu Agency over the phone after the attack on Saturday.

The two journalists - Abdiaziz Afrika and Sharmarke Warsame - were traveling in the Shangani district when the explosion hit their vehicle. 

Police forces and paramedic crews were rushed to the scene, he added.

He said the police sealed the road leading to the headquarter of the country's national security and intelligence agency and the investigation into the attack is under way.

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Al Shahbab claims responsibility

Somali-based Al Qaeda affiliated terrorist group Al Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack.

The attack came a day after eight people were killed and over 13 others wounded in a bomb blast in the town of Berdale, located some 310 kilometres from the capital.

Al Shabab was also behind two back-to-back attacks in Mogadishu earlier this month, one of which was a suicide bombing targeting a convoy of the African Union Mission in Somalia that killed three people and injured several more. 

Amid rising insecurity, Somali forces have ramped up operations against the group.

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