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| Somalia suicide bomber kills police at Mogadishu academy | Somalia suicide bomber kills police at Mogadishu academy |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| A suicide bomber has killed at least 18 police officers during a parade at a training centre in the Somali capital, Mogadishu. | A suicide bomber has killed at least 18 police officers during a parade at a training centre in the Somali capital, Mogadishu. |
| At least 15 other people were wounded, officials said. | At least 15 other people were wounded, officials said. |
| The bomber, disguised as a policeman, blew himself up at the General Kaahiye Police Academy. | The bomber, disguised as a policeman, blew himself up at the General Kaahiye Police Academy. |
| The militant Islamist group al-Shabab has said it carried out the attack. The group regularly carries out bombings in Mogadishu and other towns. | The militant Islamist group al-Shabab has said it carried out the attack. The group regularly carries out bombings in Mogadishu and other towns. |
| Witnesses said the officers were crowded into an open square for their early morning parade when the bomber detonated his explosives. | Witnesses said the officers were crowded into an open square for their early morning parade when the bomber detonated his explosives. |
| "Some of the police were already in lines, and others were gathering, when the man in police uniform entered and blew himself up," said Hussein Ali. | "Some of the police were already in lines, and others were gathering, when the man in police uniform entered and blew himself up," said Hussein Ali. |
| One police officer, Ibrahim Mohamed, said the toll would have been higher if the attacker had managed to get into the centre of the crowd. | One police officer, Ibrahim Mohamed, said the toll would have been higher if the attacker had managed to get into the centre of the crowd. |
| Police spokesman Maj Mohamed Hussein said officers had been rehearsing for national Police Day celebrations later this month. | Police spokesman Maj Mohamed Hussein said officers had been rehearsing for national Police Day celebrations later this month. |
| Al-Shabab described the attack as a "martyrdom operation" in a statement posted online. | Al-Shabab described the attack as a "martyrdom operation" in a statement posted online. |
| The group, which is allied to al-Qaeda, is battling the UN-backed government in Somalia. It has been driven out of Mogadishu and most of the main towns it once controlled but remains a threat. | The group, which is allied to al-Qaeda, is battling the UN-backed government in Somalia. It has been driven out of Mogadishu and most of the main towns it once controlled but remains a threat. |
| In October, al-Shabab fighters stormed a hotel in the capital killing at least 20 people. | In October, al-Shabab fighters stormed a hotel in the capital killing at least 20 people. |
| However, the group denied being behind a truck bomb attack in the city earlier in October that killed at least 500 people. | |
| A 22,000-strong African Union force (Amisom) is in Somalia trying to help the government recapture territory from militants. | A 22,000-strong African Union force (Amisom) is in Somalia trying to help the government recapture territory from militants. |
| But the force is due to be trimmed back as part of a long-term plan to transfer security to the Somali army. | But the force is due to be trimmed back as part of a long-term plan to transfer security to the Somali army. |