NAIROBI: At least 70 people were killed when a truck bomb exploded in front of the Ministry of Education in Mogadishu on Tuesday. Islamist militants have claimed responsibility for the attack in Somalia. Dozens others were wounded in the attack, which ended a relative calm in the country for weeks. According to security officials, the bomb detonated after the truck came to a stop in front of a security checkpoint. It destroyed most of the area, leaving bodies blackened and debris thrown across the street. Soldiers were reportedly dragging away wounded to take to medical facilities. Ali Muse, the chief of Mogadishu's ambulance service, told The Associated Press that at least 70 people died and at least 42 others were wounded. The al-Qaida-linked group al-Shabab immediately claimed responsibility for Tuesday's attack on a website it uses. It was the largest attack in the Somali capital since al-Shabab withdrew most of its forces in August amid an offensive by African Union forces. The group had been expected to fight back with guerrilla-style attacks, including car bombs. Several car bombs have been defused or exploded before reaching their targets in recent weeks. Suicide bombings were unheard of in Somalia before 2007 but have become increasingly frequent. Al-Shabab claims allegiance to al-Qaida, which often uses car bombs and appears bent on gaining a foothold in the Horn of Africa. Al-Shabab includes militant veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts who have trained Somalis in tactics like suicide bombs and sniper fire. The group carried out a double suicide bombing in Uganda in July 2010 that killed 76 people watching the World Cup final on television. Americans of Somali heritage also have joined the group. BM
