A car bomb exploded Saturday outside a hotel in the Somali town of Galkayo in the Mudug region, killing at least seven civilians and wounding dozens, a local military officer said.
The driver couldn't enter the hotel compound and instead hit a military pickup parked outside as a barrier, the official said.
“So far we know of seven people who died, mostly civilians, but the death toll may rise,” according to Major Ali Umar.
“Over a dozen others were injured, mostly Somali military personnel.”
A medic at Galkayo hospital said it had received over 30 wounded as a result of the explosion.
The militant group al Shabab, which is trying to topple the central government, could not be reached for comment, Reuters reported.
