At least four people were killed and more than 10 others injured after a suicide bomber detonated an explosive vest at a tea shop outside an army training center in Mogadishu’s Wadajir district, police said.

Police said the bomber walked into the tea shop, pretended to be a customer and sat for tea. Moments later, the bomber blew up.

Police spokesman Major Abdifatah Aden said the bomber deliberately targeted the tea shop customers. Fourteen people were injured in the explosion, and four of them succumbed to their injuries after being evacuated from the scene, Aden said. 

The al-Shabab militant group immediately claimed responsibility for Tuesday’s attack.

The explosion did heavy damage to the tea shop, which was made of corrugated sheet metal. 

A second explosion occurred about two hours after the first, in the same district, police reported. The latter attack was from a device attached to a vehicle belonging to a private company, and no casualties were reported, police said.

On Sunday, Somali government spokesman and former journalist Mohamed Ibrahim Moalimuu was seriously injured when a suicide bomber ran toward his car and detonated an explosive vest.

Moalimuu’s hand and leg were injured by shrapnel from the device. He has since been airlifted to Turkey for medical treatment.

 
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