At least five dead in car bomb attack (Punch)

At least five people were killed and several wounded when a car bomb was detonated Monday outside a hotel in the Somali capital Mogadishu, a security officer and witnesses said.

The explosion near a checkpoint outside the Afrik Hotel reverberated throughout the city and sent a massive plume of black smoke into the air.

Abdullahi Ahmed, a security officer who witnessed the blast, said at least five people were killed in the attack, which appeared to be targeting the hotel.

“I can confirm the death of five people: three civilians and two government security officers at the checkpoint,” he told AFP. Read more