A third explosion hit the city of Beledweyne in central Somalia on Monday, bringing the death toll to 20. This was reported by the Somali Guardian news portal.
The target of the third explosion was a police station, right next to a convoy of troops from Ethiopia and Djibouti, who had arrived to conduct a rescue operation after the first two explosions.
Earlier Associated Press with reference to administration of Hirshabelle State of Somalia reported about 12 deaths in two explosions. According to the state governor, Ali Jeyte Osman, the minister of health of the regional government, Zakaria Mohamedna, was among the victims. According to Somali Guardian, the explosions also killed a member of the Hirshabelle state parliament, the deputy governor of the Hiran region, and a police colonel.
The first explosion occurred near an army base in Beledweyne, the second near an administrative building nearby. Both incidents involved vehicles loaded with explosives. The authorities said al-Shabaab (banned in the Russian Federation) was responsible for the bombings.
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Based on materials from TASS