At least six killed, 12 hurt in Somalia bus explosion – state news agency

NAIROBI (Reuters) -At least six people were killed in an explosion targeting a passenger bus travelling in a region outside Somalia’s capital on Wednesday, the state news agency said.

Somali News Agency, citing Mohamed Ibrahim, governor of Lower Shabelle region, said the attack happened on a road between Qoryoley and Marka districts and that another 12 people had been injured.

Ibrahim said a terrorist attack had caused the explosion, the news agency said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Ibrahim did not say which group was suspected to have carried out the attack. Al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab has in the past taken responsibility for similar attacks.

The group has been fighting since 2006 to topple Somalia’s central government and establish its own rule based on a strict interpretation of Islamic Sharia law.

(Reporting by George Obulutsa; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Bernadette Baum)