Mogadishu, May 18 (AP) A suicide bomber in the Somali capital on Sunday targeted young recruits waiting to register at a military camp, killing at least 13 and wounded 21 others, witnesses said.

Mogadishu has been repeatedly targeted by the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab extremist group, which has waged an insurgency for over a decade. The group frequently attacks military and government sites as part of its effort to impose its strict interpretation of Islamic law.

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“There was a loud explosion, and immediately people began running in all directions. Bodies were everywhere,” said Abdulkadir Hassan Mohamed, a tuk-tuk driver who witnessed the blast.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

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A soldier identified only as Hussein, who was part of the camp's guard unit, told The Associated Press that many young recruits were waiting patiently in line.

"The explosion was devastating. I saw many casualties. The attacker disguised himself as a recruit before blowing himself up,” he said.

He said the dead included five civilian passers-by.

A similar attack in July 2023 at the Jaalle Siyaad Military Academy in Mogadishu killed 25 soldiers and wounded 70. Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for that attack. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)