Somalia twin blasts: Death toll rises to 45

Mogadishu [Somalia], Feb 25 (ANI): The death toll from the two suicide car bomb blasts that ripped through the Somali capital on Friday has risen to 45 people, according to a senior government official.

According to the local media reports, a government official has confirmed the death toll and said 36 others were injured.

Abdulkadir Abdirahman Adan of the Aamin Ambulance Service said the bombings targeted the presidential palace and a hotel. He said that most of the victims were civilians.

The twin bombings came two days after the Somali government had issued a "possible terror warning" in Mogadishu.

The militant group al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack.

The group frequently carries out suicide attacks in Somalia and parts of East Africa.

In December last year, 18 police officers were killed when an al-Shabaab fighter blew himself up inside the country's main police academy in Mogadishu.

Furthermore, the Mogadishu bombings on October 14 and 28 last year claimed more than 350 lives and injured over 400.

Somalia has been plagued with insecurity, violence and political chaos in the last three decades. Infighting between the forces of the Federal Government of Somalia, assisted by African Union peacekeeping troops, and various militant Islamist groups and factions, have claimed thousands of lives.

The al-Shabaab group advocates the formation of Somaliland, located in the southern part of the country. (ANI)