Somalia Car Bombing Wounds Security Guards Working for UN

Four security guards working for the United Nations have been wounded after a car bomb explosion near their compound in Mogadishu, Somali officials said.

All the victims are Somalis. One of them, the chief of the local security guards, suffered severe injuries, officials said. Reuters news agency reports that the militant group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack.

The explosion occurred in a garage next to the compound of the United Nations Development Program in the capital.

An intelligence official who went to the scene told VOA Somali that the bomb was planted in the car at the parking lot of the garage which is used by UNDP. The car entered the parking lot Wednesday morning, sources say.

“Immediately after the driver got out of the car the explosion went off, “says the official who does not want to be identified.

Nine people have been arrested in connection with the blast. Officials said most of those arrested were detained from another garage where the car was parked overnight.

U.N. humanitarian organizations and other NGOs often rely on local security guards while operating outside the heavily fortified African Union Headquarters in Mogadishu’s airport.

The U.N. compound is located close to the airport.

Twin explosions near the airport on Monday killed nine people including six civilians. Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for that attack.