MOGADISHU, Somalia – The Somali police foiled a suicide bombing last night near the Sayidka Intersection in Mogadishu, a green zone, where the top offices are located.
A statement issued by the Somali Police Command said that the bomber who blew himself up in the area wanted to pass a checkpoint of the security forces at Sayidka Junction.
“Last night around 8:45 PM, a suicide bomber blew himself up at a security checkpoint near Bar-Busho and 1 police officer got injured while fending off the attack,” said police.
The officers ordered the bomber who came on foot to stop. However, he declined to heed the order that prompted the police to open fire on him in an attempt to avert a bombing.
The Sayidka junction is located steps away from the Somali parliament headquarters and close to the presidential palace in Mogadishu.
The attack appeared to be part of an intensified campaign over the past two weeks by the al Qaeda ally in Somalia and neighboring Kenya, which have porous borders and often ad hoc methods for sharing intelligence.
Al-Shabaab which is facing military pressure in central Somalia has claimed responsibility for the foiled suicide attack in Mogadishu, according to a statement posted on pro-group sites.
