Balad (Somalia Today) — At least two people were killed and several others wounded on Sunday when a roadside bomb struck a civilian minibus in Somalia’s Middle Shabelle region, witnesses said.
The explosion targeted a Toyota Noah minivan travelling from Mogadishu as it approached a security checkpoint on the outskirts of Balad, a strategic town about 30 kilometres (18 miles) north of the city.
“The vehicle hit a mine planted on the edge of the road near the first control post,” a witness told local media. “The blast tore the car open.”
Images on social media showed the destroyed minibus, which had carried civilians along the critical corridor to Jowhar.
Security personnel and residents then rushed to evacuate the wounded, though officials did not immediately release a casualty toll.
Surge in attacks
The blast followed another security scare in the same region weeks earlier.
Local reports said Al-Shabaab militants attacked the nearby Wargaadhi area earlier this month, but security forces repelled them after a heavy exchange of fire.
In the weeks before Sunday’s attack, Middle Shabelle saw increased Islamist insurgent activity targeting the main supply routes linking Mogadishu and Hirshabelle state.
Sunday’s explosion also came just a few days after a significant counter-terrorism operation in Mogadishu.
On Friday, the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) said it dismantled a five-member terror cell trying to smuggle explosives into the capital.
NISA said agents intercepted suspects outside the city as they attempted to enter with vehicles packed with explosives and weapons.
NISA added that agents seized various explosives, weapons, and vehicles, calling the arrests a “major disruption” to attack plans.
The operation followed NISA’s earlier report of killing a senior Al-Shabaab bomb expert, “Engineer Ismail,” in a January 1 strike, signalling an increased government crackdown.
Though ousted from major cities, Al-Shabaab still attacks civilian and military targets with improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and suicide bombers.
Meanwhile, the Balad-Jowhar road remains a flashpoint, with insurgents frequently targeting the route to disrupt government logistics and intimidate the local population.
