Four attackers, including two suicide bombers, were also killed in the attack suspected to be by the Islamic extremist group al-Shabab, said police Capt. Mohamed Hussein.
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“A fighter rammed a suicide auto bomb into CID then other armed fighters stormed inside”.
He said two gunmen forced their way into the complex after two suicide auto bombs detonated at the gates of the facility, and confirmed four attackers we among the dead.
Armed militants have set off two vehicle bombs outside a police base in Somalia’s capital before gunmen stormed inside, leaving at least seven people dead, police say.
Officials said two explosions were detonated outside the Somali capital’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID). “We are now fighting inside the CID building”, Abdiasis Abu Musab, al Shabaab’s military operations spokesman, told Reuters.
It was the second major operation in the city this week by the Islamist militants who have kept up their guerilla war on the Western-backed government in the face of U.S. drone strikes and African peacekeeping forces.
In recent months they have claimed attacks on military bases as well as civilian targets including hotels.
There was no immediate information on casualties or claim of responsibility.
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This year is considered critical for the group, which is eager to disrupt an expected change of government due in the coming months.
