10 dead as series of attacks target Mogadishu

Ten people were killed and several more injured after a series of coordinated attacks including car bombs on Sunday target Mogadishu regional courthouse and a hotel frequented by foreigners in the Somali capital, police and witnesses said. Heavily armed gunmen attacked the Mogadishu regional court in the Somali capital with hand grenades and automatic gunfire and huge explosions were heard in the vicinity of the court. "So far we know that ten people most of them civilians at the court for cases were killed and several more injured in the attack by the anti-peace elements," said police office Ali Elmi. The attackers stormed the court building detonating explosives and opening fire at the guards and civilians at the court. A car bomb parked outside the courthouse house also exploded. Witnesses said there were scenes of chaos at the court following the attack by the gunmen as people fled the area. The wounded were rushed to main hospitals in Mogadishu. "Everyone run for their lives. There was shooting and explosions all around. Many people were injured or killed the gunmen fired indiscriminately at the people. They wanted to kill everyone," Jamaey Yusuf, an eyewitness told Xinhua. Somali government officials say the situation in and around the courthouse and Mogadishu regional administration office is under control and that the attackers were killed. "We managed to put down the attack we killed most of the attackers and they have killed and wounded several people including some soldiers," Qasim Omar, a police officer at the scene told Xinhua. Another suicide car bomb targeted a hotel at the main Mogadishu Airport road. Reports indicate that at least a Turkish citizen was killed in the blast. Some websites said that the radical group of Al-Shabaab were behind the latest attack.The attacks come only days after the UK government warmed of an imminent terrorist attack in the Somali capital Mogadishu.