(01-07-24) BELEDWEYNE (Halqabsi News) – At least four people, including a Somali soldier, were killed and several others injured in a bomb explosion in the central Somali town of Beledweyne on Sunday afternoon.
The blast occurred at a Somali government security checkpoint near the Djibouti contingent of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) in the Howlwadag neighbourhood.
The attack came just hours after ATMIS officially handed over its military base in Beledweyne to the Somali National Army, marking the fifth base transferred under the mission’s phased withdrawal plan.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the explosion, and local authorities have not released an official statement. However, the incident has heightened security concerns in the region, particularly following the recent transfer of responsibilities from ATMIS to the SNA.
Eyewitnesses reported chaos and panic in the aftermath of the blast, with security forces cordoning off the area and emergency services rushing to the scene. The injured were transported to local hospitals for treatment.
The attack underscores the ongoing security challenges facing Somalia as it transitions towards greater self-reliance in its security operations. The government has pledged to investigate the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Halqabsi News
