A roadside bomb attack in Mogadishu, Somalia, on Thursday left at least five people dead and several others wounded, according to a security official.
The targeted vehicle, traveling to internally displaced persons camps, carried Turkish nationals and their security escorts who were engaged in relief efforts.
Security official Ahmed Abdi confirmed the attack originated from a remotely detonated device and targeted the Garasbaley neighborhood.
While Abdi specified the death of three security guards, details regarding Turkish casualties remained unclear.
Media reports, however, indicated two Turkish aid workers lost their lives during the final days of Ramadan.
The attack comes amidst ongoing investigations with no group claiming responsibility.
However, Somalia has a history of violence perpetrated by the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Shabaab group, which has taken credit for recent bombings in Mogadishu.
Somalia’s struggles with insecurity are long-standing, with al-Shabaab and the Daesh/ISIS terror groups posing the most significant threats.
Since 2007, al-Shabaab has actively fought against the Somali government and the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), a multidimensional peacekeeping force authorized by the African Union and mandated by the UN Security Council.
Recent pronouncements by Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud declaring “all-out war” on al-Shabaab appear to have triggered a surge in attacks by the militant group.
