Landmine blasts kill 5, injure more than 40 in Somalia

By Mohammed Dhaysane</p> <p>MOGADISHU, Somalia (AA) – At least five people were killed and more than 40 others wounded on Wednesday when landmines went off at a busy livestock market in the Somalia’s southwestern administrative region of Bay, an official said.</p> <p>“Al-Shabaab terrorist group had targeted innocent civilians in Gof-gadud district’s livestock market with 4 landmine explosions on Wednesday and 5 people were killed, more than 40 others wounded”, said Nuradin Yusuf, spokesman for the Southwest State in Baidoa city, the capital of Bay region. </p> <p>&quot;Our administration has sent ambulances to the scene and the wounded people were being transported to hospitals in Baidoa for treatment,&quot; Yusuf told Anadolu Agency.</p> <p>Gof-gadud Burey is a small livestock business district, located some 30 kilometers (18 miles) from Baidoa city.</p> <p>Somali-based insurgent group al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack and said it had killed more than seven soldiers, a claim rejected by the spokesman for the Southwest State.