A bomb exploded at a packed football stadium in southern Somalia and killed five spectators while wounding several others, police said Thursday evening.

The Somalia-based, al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab extremist group immediately claimed responsibility for the explosion in the port town of Barawe. Witnesses said the bomb had been buried in the sandy stadium and went off during the local-level match.

Most of the eight people wounded were in serious condition and were being treated at a local hospital, police Col. Abdirizak Ahmed told The Associated Press.

Barawe once was a key al-Shabab stronghold before Somali and African Union forces seized the town and drove out the extremists, who had banned sports activities in areas under their control. Al-Shabab still has a large presence in Lower Shabelle region and has carried out several attacks in the town.

The extremist group often targets high-profile areas of Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, and it was blamed for the October truck bombing there that killed 512 people in the country’s deadliest-ever attack. Only a few attacks worldwide since 9/11 have killed more people.

A month before the October bombing Mogadishu celebrated its first nighttime football match in decades, with many residents calling it a step forward in a fragile recovery from decades of violent chaos. And late last year the country’s football federation announced its intention to start hosting international matches this year, citing what it called an improving security situation.

The Horn of Africa nation continues to struggle to counter al-Shabab, which has been called the deadliest Islamic extremist group in sub-Saharan Africa. Concerns have been high over plans to hand over the country’s security to Somalia’s military as a 21,000-strong African Union force begins a withdrawal that is expected to be complete in 2020.

The US military, which has stepped up efforts against al-Shabab in the past year with dozens of drone strikes, has said Somali forces are not yet ready.</s>MOGADISHU, Somalia — A bomb exploded at a packed football stadium in southern Somalia and killed five spectators while wounding several others, police said Thursday evening.

The Somalia-based, al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab extremist group immediately claimed responsibility for the explosion in the port town of Barawe. Witnesses said the bomb had been buried in the sandy stadium and went off during the local-level match.

Most of the eight people wounded were in serious condition and were being treated at a local hospital, police Col. Abdirizak Ahmed told The Associated Press.

Barawe once was a key al-Shabab stronghold before Somali and African Union forces seized the town and drove out the extremists, who had banned sports activities in areas under their control. Al-Shabab still has a large presence in Lower Shabelle region and has carried out several attacks in the town.

The extremist group often targets high-profile areas of Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, and it was blamed for the October truck bombing there that killed 512 people in the country’s deadliest-ever attack. Only a few attacks worldwide since 9-11 have killed more people.

A month before the October bombing Mogadishu celebrated its first nighttime football match in decades, with many residents calling it a step forward in a fragile recovery from decades of violent chaos. And late last year the country’s football federation announced its intention to start hosting international matches this year, citing what it called an improving security situation.

The Horn of Africa nation continues to struggle to counter al-Shabab, which has been called the deadliest Islamic extremist group in sub-Saharan Africa. Concerns have been high over plans to hand over the country’s security to Somalia’s military as a 21,000-strong African Union force begins a withdrawal that is expected to be complete in 2020.

The U.S. military, which has stepped up efforts against al-Shabab in the past year with dozens of drone strikes, has said Somali forces are not yet ready.</s>MOGADISHU (Reuters) - A bomb killed up to five spectators at a football match in southern Somalia, police and a lawmaker said on Friday, the first time an explosion has targeted a stadium.

The blast went off in the port town of Barawe, in the Lower Shabelle region, when residents were watching a football match on Thursday afternoon, police said, adding that al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab could be behind the attack.

Police said it appeared to have been detonated by remote control.

“The bomb killed five people and injured a dozen others in the football field. All the casualties were from the onlookers,” Mahad Dhoore, a lawmaker for South West state told Reuters.

Police officer Mohamed Aden said al Shabaab group was suspected of being behind the attack and put the number of dead at four and wounded at 12.

“We believe al Shabaab was behind (it) and that the target was officials who were not seated there at the time of the match. The bomb looked like a remotely controlled one that was planted there,” Aden told Reuters from Barawe.

Al Shabaab are fighting to topple Somalia’s Western-backed central government and establish their own rule based on their strict interpretation of Islamic law.

The group frequently carries out bombings and gun attacks in the capital Mogadishu and other parts of Somalia.

“Al Shabaab carried out an explosion that killed teenagers who were just playing football in Barawe town. Al Shabaab is the only enemy we have,” President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed said during a farewell party for Somalia’s outgoing parliament speaker.

In a separate incident the U.S. said it had carried out an air strike and destroyed “an al-Shabaab vehicle-borne improvised explosive device” near Jana Cabdalle in Somalia’s Lower Jubba region, on Wednesday.</s>MOGADISHU, Somalia – Police say a bomb blast at a stadium in southern Somalia has killed five football fans.

Col. Abdirizak Ahmed tells The Associated Press that eight others were wounded in the explosion during a local match in the packed stadium in the port town of Barawe.

He says most are seriously wounded and are being treated at a local hospital.

Witnesses say the bomb was buried in the sandy stadium.

The al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab extremist group has claimed responsibility for the blast.

Barawe once was a key al-Shabab stronghold before Somali and African Union forces seized the town and drove out the extremists, who had banned sports activities in areas under their control.

Al-Shabab still has a large presence in Lower Shabelle region and has carried out several attacks in the town.</s>MOGADISHU (REUTERS) - A bomb killed at least five spectators at a football match in southern Somalia, police and a lawmaker said on Friday (April 13), the first time an explosion has targeted a stadium.

The blast went off in the port town of Barawe, in the Lower Shabelle region, when residents were watching a football match on Thursday afternoon, police said.

"The bomb killed five people and injured a dozen others in the football field. All the casualties were from the onlookers," Mr Mahad Dhoore, a lawmaker for South West state told Reuters.

Police officer Mohamed Aden said the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab group was suspected of being behind the attack and put the number of dead at four and wounded at 12.

"We believe Al-Shabaab was behind (the blast) and that the target was officials who were not seated there at the time of the match. The bomb looked like a remotely controlled one that was planted there," officer Aden told Reuters from Barawe.</s>Five people have been killed and 10 more injured in Somalia after a bomb detonated in a football stadium in the Lower Shabelle region.

The blast, which occurred in the southwestern town of Barawe, has been attributed to the al-Shabab rebel group.

“We believe al-Shabab was behind it and that the target was officials who were not seated there at the time of the match. The bomb looks like a remotely controlled one that was planted there,” police officer Mohamed Aden was quoted as saying by the Reuters News Agency.

Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed condemned the attack which he said showed that al-Shabab was Somalia’s “only enemy.”

“Al-Shabab carried out an explosion that killed teenagers who were just playing football in Barawe town. Al-Shabab is the only enemy we have.”

The explosion is the latest in a string of attacks threatening Somalia’s fragile peace.

The east African country continues to grapple with a delicate security situation. An African Union Mission to Somalia (known as AMISOL) is expected to withdraw its last troops by 2020.

Earlier in March, two Somali soldiers were killed after a bomb exploded near a security checkpoint outside parliament in Mogadishu.

In October of last year, more than 300 people were killed after twin car explosions in the Somali capital, the deadliest of its kind in the country’s modern history.</s>MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) - A bomb exploded at a packed football stadium in southern Somalia and killed five spectators while wounding several others, police said Thursday evening.

The Somalia-based, al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab extremist group immediately claimed responsibility for the explosion in the port town of Barawe. Witnesses said the bomb had been buried in the sandy stadium and went off during the local-level match.

Most of the eight people wounded were in serious condition and were being treated at a local hospital, police Col. Abdirizak Ahmed told The Associated Press.

Barawe once was a key al-Shabab stronghold before Somali and African Union forces seized the town and drove out the extremists, who had banned sports activities in areas under their control. Al-Shabab still has a large presence in Lower Shabelle region and has carried out several attacks in the town.

The extremist group often targets high-profile areas of Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, and it was blamed for the October truck bombing there that killed 512 people in the country’s deadliest-ever attack. Only a few attacks worldwide since 9/11 have killed more people.

A month before the October bombing Mogadishu celebrated its first nighttime football match in decades, with many residents calling it a step forward in a fragile recovery from decades of violent chaos. And late last year the country’s football federation announced its intention to start hosting international matches this year, citing what it called an improving security situation.

The Horn of Africa nation continues to struggle to counter al-Shabab, which has been called the deadliest Islamic extremist group in sub-Saharan Africa. Concerns have been high over plans to hand over the country’s security to Somalia’s military as a 21,000-strong African Union force begins a withdrawal that is expected to be complete in 2020.

The U.S. military, which has stepped up efforts against al-Shabab in the past year with dozens of drone strikes, has said Somali forces are not yet ready.

The Washington Times is switching its third-party commenting system from Disqus to Spot.IM. You will need to either create an account with Spot.im or if you wish to use your Disqus account look under the Conversation for the link "Have a Disqus Account?". Please read our The Washington Times is switching its third-party commenting system from Disqus to Spot.IM. You will need to either create an account with Spot.im or if you wish to use your Disqus account look under the Conversation for the link "Have a Disqus Account?". Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.</s>A bomb exploded at a packed football stadium in southern Somalia and killed five spectators while wounding several others, police said Thursday evening, Sports Illustrated reports.

The Somalia-based, al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab extremist group immediately claimed responsibility for the explosion in the port town of Barawe. Witnesses said the bomb had been buried in the sandy stadium and went off during the local-level match.

Most of the eight people wounded were in serious condition and were being treated at a local hospital, police Col. Abdirizak Ahmed told The Associated Press.</s>A bomb killed up to five spectators at a football match in southern Somalia, police and a lawmaker said on Friday, the first time an explosion has targeted a stadium.

The blast went off in the port town of Barawe, in the Lower Shabelle region, when residents were watching a football match on Thursday afternoon, police said, adding that al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab could be behind the attack.

Police said it appeared to have been detonated by remote control.

“The bomb killed five people and injured a dozen others in the football field. All the casualties were from the onlookers,” Mahad Dhoore, a lawmaker for South West state told Reuters.

Police officer Mohamed Aden said al Shabaab group was suspected of being behind the attack and put the number of dead at four and wounded at 12.

“We believe al Shabaab was behind (it) and that the target was officials who were not seated there at the time of the match. The bomb looked like a remotely controlled one that was planted there,” Aden told Reuters from Barawe.

Al Shabaab are fighting to topple Somalia’s Western-backed central government and establish their own rule.</s>A bomb blast in a football stadium in country’s port town of Barawe on Friday claimed five lives.

The stadium was packed when the blast took place.

Also Read : Kabul University bomb blast; what actually happened?

According to reports, Somalia’s very own al-Qaida-linked terror group, al-Shabab immediately claimed the responsibility for the blast.

The terrorist group are known to attack high-value targets in the Somalian capital of Mogadishu quite often.
Police say a bombing took place in Barawe, Lower Shabelle, Somalia, at a football stadium yesterday, the first time a stadium in the country has been targeted, killed up to five spectators.