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Kismayo suicide bombing was an inside job, authorities say

Storyline:National News

According to officials from Jubbaland State of Somalia, yesterday’s suicide bombing that hit a military barracks outside the city was an inside job.

A high ranking official who was among the military trainers at the base was named as the main mastermind of the blast which claimed 14 soldiers and wounded 10 others, a military source has told Goobjoog News.

The military commander who did not want to speak on record owing to the sensitive nature of the matter said a military trainer called Hassan Sankus was at the passenger seat of the Noah vehicle laden with explosives and helped the driver, who was also the suicide bomber to pass through several security check points on their way to the base.

“He also guided the bomber through short cuts to access the base, allowing him to enter through unmanned gate from the side of the ocean,” said the commander.

It’s also suspected that this officer arranged or convinced his subordinates at the base to gather the soldiers for training; this helped the bomber to strike while soldiers have gathered in one place.

A deputy military commander at the Somali National Army told Goobjoog News he had seen the car ahead of him while he was driving to the military base suddenly before it blew up. “I spotted the car ahead of me and as I was about the enter the base, the car exploded. We however captured four of the militants for questioning. One of them died in the scene,” said Col Ahmed Ato

Sankus was later executed by a firing squad yesterday evening and others were arrested for questioning.

Jubbaland has managed to foil more bombings in the past, but this time around Alshabab who claimed responsibility had access from inside the security establishment.

Goobjoog News