Somali security forces foil suicide car bomb attack in Mogadishu

Somali security forces foiled a suicide car bomb attack on a hotel in the Somali capital of Mogadishu on Thursday.

Local government spokesman Abdifitah Omar Halane said the officers from the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) also arrested a terrorist suspect who attempted to carry out attack on Maka Al-Mukarama Hotel.

Halane told reporters that the security forces seized the vehicle with explosive devices after arresting the suspect who is now being interrogated.

"Security forces successfully foiled a planned suicide car bomb attack. NISA officers seized the vehicle filled with explosive devices and arrested an Al-Shabaab militant who was driving it and wanted to carry out suicide attack at Maka Al-mukarama Hotel in Mogadishu," Halane said.

He said the suspect admitted that he was planning to blow up himself at the hotel where a meeting of elders and politicians was underway. "The suspect is being interrogated over the incident," Halane said.

This is the second car bomb incident which has been foiled by security forces in less than 24 hours after NISA thwarted another attack in the outskirts of Mogadishu on Wednesday evening.

Al-Shabaab militants have been targeting African Union Mission in Somalia, government bases and social gathering places, mainly hotels, in Mogadishu. Endit