4 killed in Mogadishu suicide bombing

Mogadishu, Aug 20 (IANS) At least four people were killed and several others injured in a suicide bombing in the Somalian capital of Mogadishu, a police officer said.The officer told Xinhua news agency that a suicide bomber walked into a busy restaurant near Juba junction on THursday and blew himself up, causing multiple casualties."So far, we know that four people including the suicide bomber were killed and dozens of others sustained injuries," he said.The scene of the attack is near the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) headquarters and the restaurant is frequented by security forces.The authorities have not established whether security officers were among the casualties in the latest blast which comes as the elections of the Upper House are ongoing.Witnesses said security forces have sealed off the scene.No group has claimed immediate responsibility for the latest attack in the restive city but an Al Qaeda allied terrorist group usually stages such attacks.The militants have intensified attacks in Somalia despite government forces having made intensive operations against the extremists in central and southern regions in recent months in an attempt to flush out terror cells.
--IANS ksk/