Ministers Among Several Killed in a Suicide Explosion in Mogadishu
Health Minister Qamar aden Ali
At least three Somali ministers are among several people killed or wounded in a suicide explosion at the Shamow hotel in the south of the capital Mogadishu on Thursday. The exact number of deaths or wounded is unclear but initial reports confirm that Somali Minister of Education Ahmed Abdullahi, Health Minister Qamar aden Ali and the Minister of Culture and Higher Education Prof Ibrahim Hassan Addo were among those killed in the explosion.
Youth and sports minister Suleiman Olad Roble was also seriously wounded in the attack, according to a government official who demanded anonymity. The suicide explosion which according to reports, was carried out by a woman occurred in a hole where a graduation ceremony was being held for dozens of Somali students who graduated from the Banadir Medical university in Mogadishu.
Radio Shabelle journalist Mohamed Amin Aden Abdulle and an unknown number of students and teachers were also among the dead according to eye witnesseses. “More students and teachers were killed and many more were wounded, but I cannot just give you the exact number” Sadaq Salaad the deputy chairperson of Somali students’ union told Newstime Africa by telephone. However the exact number of casualty is unclear and details are still coming out.
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