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Terrorist attack in Somalia, 65 killed, 50 injured

04 October 2011 15:29 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. At least 65 people were killed and 50 injured when a bomb went off in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, BBC reported quoting local officials, APA reports quoting â€œRIA Novostiâ€.

The blast occurred near the government building as a truck allegedly carrying explosives was driven into a gate of the building, eyewitnesses told BBC.

The al-Qaeda-backed Islamist militant group al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for the attack, the BBC quoted the militant group’s spokesman as saying.

According to a Mogadishu ambulance official, 65 bodies had been recovered and at least 50 other people had been injured in the blast.

Attacks on government officials are a common occurrence in the impoverished African state, which has been without an effective government since 1991.

In June, the country’s national security minister was killed in a suicide bombing, along with 23 other people. Al-Shabab then also claimed responsibility for the attack.