Assassination Attempt Leaves 6 Dead in Somalia

Attempt to Assassinate the Prime Minister of Somalia Leaves 6 Dead

An official in the Somali army says that he has seen six dead people outside the building in the capital Mogadishu.

Several other people are hurt. The casualties are likely soldiers or police officers, according to news source AP.

- The suicide bomber blew himself up amid security forces, says Abdukadir Ali, spokesman for the Somali military.

- The Prime Minister was in office

The attack occurred on Tuesday morning.

Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon Said was in his office when the attack occurred, said his team, but was not injured in the explosion.

No one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, but the extremist Islamist group Al Shabaab has previously carried out a series of attacks in the Somali capital.

Several Attempts at murder

Several times before, attacks have been directed against the country's prime minister and president.

Former Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Abdi Farah Shirdon Said's predecessor, was also a number of times the target of  assassination.

In April last year, the Somalia National Theatre was attacked while both Ali and several other prominent persons were present.

Ali survived, but the leader of the Somali Olympic Committee and head of the country's football association was among the eight killed .

Al-Shabaab was behind the attack.

Explosions

On Tuesday morning, there are reports also that there were heard explosions near the presidential palace in Mogadishu.

Insurgents have previously promised that they will overthrow President Sheikh Hassan Mohamud, who was elected president by the National Assembly last September .