8 al-Shabaab fighters die after Somalia car bomb blast

At least eight Al-Shabaab fighters were killed and five others injured after a car bomb they were making accidentally went off in the central Somali town of Bulo-Burte, witnesses and officials said. The explosion was heard around Bulo Burte close to the main town of Beledewyne, which is controlled by government forces and African Union (AU) troops. "The explosion was very huge and I saw people fleeing from the area. Eight dead men were taken out of the house where the vehicle was constructed. Five more severely wounded fighters were also taken away," Ali Muse, a resident, told Xinhua. The military said the vehicle was intended to target the government forces and AU peacekeeping troops based in Beledweyne, 300 km north of the capital Mogadishu. Speaking to Radio Mogadishu, Hiran Regional Deputy Military Commander Mohamed Amiin Adam said Al-Shabaab has increased attacks on civilians and that the officials were aware of "other plots" of the group. "We have reports now that a tanker full of explosives is headed towards Beledweyne from Bulo Burte and was sent by the plotters," Adam told the state radio. This comes as two separate explosions hit Mogadishu killing one and wounding five others including a government official, who was injured after a bomb planted in his vehicle exploded as he was driving along the main Makka Al Mukarama street in the capital.At least eight Al-Shabaab fighters were killed and five others injured after a car bomb they were making accidentally went off in the central Somali town of Bulo-Burte, witnesses and officials said. The explosion was heard around Bulo Burte close to the main town of Beledewyne, which is controlled by government forces and African Union (AU) troops. "The explosion was very huge and I saw people fleeing from the area. Eight dead men were taken out of the house where the vehicle was constructed. Five more severely wounded fighters were also taken away," Ali Muse, a resident, told Xinhua. The military said the vehicle was intended to target the government forces and AU peacekeeping troops based in Beledweyne, 300 km north of the capital Mogadishu. Speaking to Radio Mogadishu, Hiran Regional Deputy Military Commander Mohamed Amiin Adam said Al-Shabaab has increased attacks on civilians and that the officials were aware of "other plots" of the group. "We have reports now that a tanker full of explosives is headed towards Beledweyne from Bulo Burte and was sent by the plotters," Adam told the state radio. This comes as two separate explosions hit Mogadishu killing one and wounding five others including a government official, who was injured after a bomb planted in his vehicle exploded as he was driving along the main Makka Al Mukarama street in the capital.