Six killed in Somalia Shebab attack on UAE embassy convoy

Somalia’s Shebab insurgents killed at least six people on Wednesday in a suicide attack on a diplomatic convoy from the United Arab Emirates in the Somali capital Mogadishu, police and the Islamists said.

“We have confirmed the death of six people, four of them <g data-gr-id="21">civilians,</g> while six others were also wounded, some seriously,” police officer Abdukadir Hassan told AFP.

He said no UAE diplomats were hurt in the attack, with the Somali security staff escorting them stopping the bomber with their truck as the blast went off.

The Shebab said they carried out the attack, which is believed to be the first time the Al-Qaeda affiliate has targeted the UAE in Somalia. The UAE is involved in a number of security, infrastructure, development and humanitarian projects in Somalia.

“The <g data-gr-id="19">mujahedeen</g> fighters... carried out a successful attack on a delegation from the apostate government of the United Arab Emirates,” said a Shebab statement posted on an extremist website.

“A suicide bomber rammed his car into the <g data-gr-id="15">pick-up</g> truck and there were casualties,” said Somali security official Abdi Dahir. “There was a heavy explosion.”