Somali president claims death toll reached at least 100

MOGADISHU, Somalia

In Somalia, the death toll from Saturday's twin bomb attack in the capital, Mogadishu, has climbed to at least 100, according to authorities.

Two cars packed with explosives were detonated minutes apart near the busy Zobe junction followed by gunfire.

"I witnessed the first explosion then I fled the area. As I was in shock because of the first blast, another explosion rocked the same area. There are deaths and injuries, but I don’t know the exact number of the casualties", said witness Adam Hassan. 

Another witness, Ahmed Abukar, added: 

"I was in the attack area when the first explosion went off. After that, I ran away.  

"I saw many dead people, but I don’t have the death and injuries toll. May Allah have mercy on the dead people and help the injured to recuperate", he said. 

The attack happened at the same busy junction where a truck packed with explosives blew up in October 2017, killing more than 500 people and injuring more than 290.

Somali president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud denounced the attack and blamed the al Shabaab extremists.

"So far, people who died have reached 100 and 300 are wounded, and the number for both the death and wounded continues to increase" (...) "We and the Muslim Somali people are at war with these men (al Shabaab, Ed.). At the time we are talking, there is fighting against them (al Shabaab, Ed.) going on in many parts of the country whether it is Galmudug, Hirshabell, Southwest or Jubaland States", announced Somali President, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

The al Shabaab extremists have been seeking to overthrow the fragile foreign-backed government in Mogadishu for about 15 years.

Its fighters were driven out of the capital in 2011 by an African Union force but the group still controls large parts of the countryside.