At least six people, mostly soldiers, were killed when a bomb exploded at an army checkpoint in Mogadishu, the second blast Thursday in the troubled Somali capital. "Six people, most of them soldiers, were killed (by the bomb) which was planted under a tree close to a security checkpoint," said Mogadishu administration spokesman Abdifatah Omar Halane.
"Several others are also wounded." Witnesses said the area was bustling with soldiers and civilians when the explosion occurred. "The situation was okay and everybody was busy minding their business when the blast went off near the checkpoint. I saw several dead people including soldiers but most of the wounded were civilians," said witness Mohamed Nure. The blast came just hours after a car loaded with explosives was driven into a government building which houses a popular restaurant.