Mogadishu: A car bomb exploded inside the
compound of a major police building in Somalia's war-torn
capital Mogadishu on Friday, wounding at least one police officer,
officials said.
"A car full of explosives, which was seized by the
security forces this morning, exploded -- a policeman was
injured," said Abdulahi Ahmed, a Somali police official. "We
are still investigating the incident."
The blast occurred in the grounds of the Criminal
Investigation Department of Somalia's police, close to the
busy central K4 roundabout.
Witnesses said the car exploded while parked inside the
building, destroying the perimeter wall.
"The car exploded in a parking lot, the blast was very
heavy, and smoke and fire shot up high into the sky," said
Farah Adan, a witness.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for today's
attack, the latest in a string of blasts including roadside
bombs and grenade explosions that have rocked the Somali
capital in recent months.
The city has seen an increase in such attacks since the
al-Qaeda linked Shebab abandoned fixed positions there in
August and switched to guerrilla tactics against the
Western-backed government and African Union troops.
PTI
First Published: Friday, February 17, 2012, 23:29