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19 Killed in Somalia Landmine Blast

A mine clearance operation is underway in Somalia.
A mine clearance operation is underway in Somalia.

A landmine explosion has killed at least 19 passengers of a minibus in Somalia hours after the troubled nation’s president declared a new war against the al-Shabaab armed group.

The minibus was travelling in the southern Lower Shebelle region on Thursday when it ran over the explosive device near the village of Golweyn, about 120 km from the capital Mogadishu in an area contested between al-Shabaab and government and African Union troops, Aljazeera reported.

“The number of people who died in the blast reached 19, including women and children, and several others were wounded,” Ibrahim Adam Najah, governor of Lower Shebelle, told local media.

“The mine was planted by the violent terrorists,” said Isack, referring to al-Shabaab, which is linked to Al-Qaeda.

There was no immediate claim of the landmine explosion.

The blast came shortly after Somalia’s President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed declared a new war against al-Shabaab, which has been active in the nation for more than a decade.

“I am announcing a state of war in the country and call on the public to stand with the national army to help fight terrorists,” the president said at a press conference.

“We are very sorry for those kids who have been misled, and we are offering al-Shabaab fighters an ultimatum of 60 days to surrender otherwise they will face the consequences.”

 

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