The attack occurred at a busy
intersection on the western outskirts of Mogadishu, at a police checkpoint during local
rush hour. The major intersection connects Mogadishu with the rest of southern and southwestern
Somalia. The Ex-Control Afgoye checkpoint is located near a tax office, and is used by vehicles entering Mogadishu from nearby
Afgooye town. The truck
bomb explosion caused massive damage to the surrounding area, and left many of the dead burned beyond recognition. At least 15 of those killed were university students returning to class at
Benadir University, whose minibus was demolished in the explosion. Two Turkish
engineers, who were constructing a road from the checkpoint into the city, were also killed in the bombing. Many others were wounded. Fifteen
critically injured people, including an eight-month-old baby, were
airlifted to
Istanbul,
Turkey for further medical treatment; thirty other critically injured people received medical treatment in
Qatar and other neighboring countries.
Somali Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire announced the establishment of a national response committee to help the injured and offer support to those who lost family members in the attack. == Responsibility and aftermath ==