Mogadishu: The death toll from car bomb blast in the southern Somali town of Baidoa has risen to 19 while at least 20 others were injured, said the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) Tuesday.
The car bomb attack Monday hit central town of Baidoa, provincial capital of Bay region, 250 km southwest of the Somali capital, Xinhua reported Tuesday.
“The blast killed 19 innocent victims and destroyed valuable property,” Xinhua quoted a statement from AMISOM which also condemned the attack as “callous and cowardly”.
Baidoa is under the control of AMISOM peacekeeping forces and Somalia National Army (SNA) who wrestled the town from militant fighters back in 2012.
AMISOM chief, Mahamat Saleh Annadif, said the AU Somalia mission will assist those affected by the blast.
“This was a cowardly attack, which highlights the vicious nature of the enemy who continues to target innocent civilians with an aim to curtail the peace process,” he said.
The Somali government condemned the attack and officials said they will evacuate the wounded to Mogadishu for further treatment as main local hospital say they run out of drugs and could not cope with the influx of the injured.
UN Somalia envoy Nicholas Kay expressed shock and sadness at the attack and called on local authorities “to bring the perpetrators to justice swiftly.”
He reiterated the UN’s continued support to Somalia.
The latest attack in Baidoa is the deadliest since the radical Islamist group of Al-Shabaab were driven out by allied Somali government forces and AMISOM peacekeeping troops.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.