MOGADISHU – A Somali police officer says five people, including the country’s deputy labor minister, have been killed in an Islamic extremist attack on a government building in the capital.
Capt. Mohamed Hussein said the minister, Saqar Ibrahim Abdalla, was killed in his ground-floor office shortly after gunmen stormed the building in Mogadishu.
At least five gunmen stormed the building after a suicide car bombing at the gates.
Somali security forces, fighting to take control of the building, were exchanging fire with the militants.
Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack.
“Al Shabaab stormed the building where two ministries including the ministry of labour work. So far we know four people are dead but (the) death toll is sure to rise,” Major Abdullahi Nur, a police officer told Reuters.
Eleven people were injured, Dr Abdikadir Abdirahman, director of Amin Ambulance Service told Reuters, adding some were still trapped inside the building and that it was not possible to rescue them because of an ongoing gun battle.
