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| Somalia car bombs: At least 35 die in Mahas attacks | Somalia car bombs: At least 35 die in Mahas attacks |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Pro-government forces have taken territory from al-Shabab in recent months | Pro-government forces have taken territory from al-Shabab in recent months |
| At least 35 people have been killed in a double car bombing in central Hiraan province, Somalia, police say. | At least 35 people have been killed in a double car bombing in central Hiraan province, Somalia, police say. |
| The al-Qaeda linked group al-Shabab has said it was behind the attack. | The al-Qaeda linked group al-Shabab has said it was behind the attack. |
| The district commissioner of Mahas town said his home and that of a local MP were the targets. | The district commissioner of Mahas town said his home and that of a local MP were the targets. |
| However, "most of the dead are civilians," including "women and children", the local deputy policy commissioner told the Reuters news agency. | However, "most of the dead are civilians," including "women and children", the local deputy policy commissioner told the Reuters news agency. |
| The blasts were so powerful that witnesses said people far away from the explosion sites were wounded by flying fragments. | The blasts were so powerful that witnesses said people far away from the explosion sites were wounded by flying fragments. |
| "This was a horrible attack," witness Adan Hassan told the AFP news agency, describing the dead bodies he saw. | "This was a horrible attack," witness Adan Hassan told the AFP news agency, describing the dead bodies he saw. |
| Al-Shabab has been losing ground in recent months after President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud pledged "total war" against the Islamist militants in August, following an attack on a popular Mogadishu hotel, which saw more than 20 people die. | Al-Shabab has been losing ground in recent months after President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud pledged "total war" against the Islamist militants in August, following an attack on a popular Mogadishu hotel, which saw more than 20 people die. |
| Two months later, twin car bomb explosions near a busy junction in Mogadishu killed at least 100 people. Al-Shabab also said it was behind that attack. | Two months later, twin car bomb explosions near a busy junction in Mogadishu killed at least 100 people. Al-Shabab also said it was behind that attack. |
| President Mohamud subsequently mobilised the Somali army and government-backed clan militias in a bid to take villages and towns from al-Shabab, which controls large swathes of the country. | President Mohamud subsequently mobilised the Somali army and government-backed clan militias in a bid to take villages and towns from al-Shabab, which controls large swathes of the country. |
| Despite their losses of territory, al-Shabab has continued to carry out attacks in central and southern Somalia. | Despite their losses of territory, al-Shabab has continued to carry out attacks in central and southern Somalia. |
| Both African Union forces and US funds have been allocated to assist Somalia in its fight against al-Shabab. | Both African Union forces and US funds have been allocated to assist Somalia in its fight against al-Shabab. |
| Africa Live: More on this and other stories from the continent |