By HAN News Desk
MOGADISHU — At least eight civilians were killed and seven others seriously wounded after a passenger vehicle struck a landmine late Tuesday in central Somalia, according to local sources and relatives of the victims.
The vehicle, which had departed from Mogadishu and was traveling toward Galgaduud region, was carrying about 15 passengers when the explosion occurred. The blast hit the vehicle as it passed through the coastal area of Kud-kudaaley, east of Rinirgood district in Middle Shabelle region, witnesses said.
The improvised explosive device had been buried along the roadside and detonated as the vehicle passed, causing extensive damage to the car and killing passengers instantly.
Local residents and family members confirmed that those killed included the driver and seven passengers. The wounded were rushed to nearby medical facilities, though several remain in critical condition.
Somalia’s regional security authorities have not yet issued an official statement detailing the full extent of the casualties or identifying those responsible for the attack.
The extremist group al-Shabaab, which frequently targets roads used by civilians and commercial transport, has in recent weeks increased pressure on drivers and travelers using major routes linking Somali regions. The group has imposed what it calls “taxes,” demanding up to $35 per vehicle and $6 per passenger from those traveling through areas under its influence.
Transport operators have reportedly resisted complying with the demands, raising fears of retaliatory attacks. Al-Shabaab regularly uses roadside bombs and landmines in its insurgency against the Somali government and its allies.
