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Somalia attack: Al-Shabab 'kill at least 30' in Mogadishu Somalia conflict: 'Foreigners' behind Mogadishu attacks
(about 7 hours later)
The number of people killed in Sunday's bomb and gun attacks in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, has risen to at least 30, medical sources say. Foreign fighters were involved in Sunday's bomb and gun attacks in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon has said.
African Union and government forces sealed roads and searched homes on Monday in an attempt to flush out militant Islamists, reports said. At least 29 people died in the suicide bombings at the main courts and near the airport, he said.
The al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab group said it carried out the attacks.The al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab group said it carried out the attacks.
Suicide bombers blew themselves up in the main court buildings and later a car bomb exploded on a busy road. African Union and government forces launched a major operation on Monday against the militants.
"At least 30 people died and 20 others were injured. That is from our services and hospital sources," a coordinator for Mogadishu's ambulance service, who asked not to be named for security reasons, told Reuters news agency on Monday. Local media reported that one of the suicide bombers was a Somali-Canadian, Mahad Ali Dhoore.
'Tackling insecurity' He had detonated a car bomb on a road near the heavily-fortified airport, killing two Turkish aid workers, the reports said.
On Sunday evening, officials said at least 19 people had been killed in the attacks, described as one of the worst since al-Shabab lost control of Mogadishu in August 2011 to AU and government forces. The Somali government said nine gunmen had been involved in an earlier assault on the court.
The Somali government said that nine gunmen had been involved in the assault on the court.
Six of them detonated suicide vests, it said.Six of them detonated suicide vests, it said.
Later a car bomb was detonated on the road to the airport, killing three, including two Turkish aid workers. 'Tackling insecurity'
All the attackers died, with some of them killed by the security forces, the government said. The bombing campaign was one of the worst in Mogadishu since al-Shabab lost control of the city in August 2011 to AU and government forces.
Police official Mohamed Hassan said a major security operation was underway on Monday to track down al-Shabab fighters, AFP news agency reports. "Yesterday's [Sunday's] blasts eliminated the dreams of the puppet government," al-Shabab military operations spokesman Abdiasis Abu Musab told Reuters news agency by telephone.
"So far more than 400 people have been detained. The operations are aimed at tackling insecurity," he is quoted as saying. The government was formed last year as part of a UN-backed peace process to end more than two decades of instability in Somalia.
Al-Shabab is fighting to create an Islamic state in Somalia.
Mr Shirdon said "several experienced" foreign fighters were among the attackers, but he did not identify their nationalities.
"We are concerned about the foreign involvement in this attack and this is why we are working so hard with our international partners on security and intelligence sharing," he said.
"Once again we see that terrorism is an international problem."
Mr Shirdon was speaking during a visit to the court complex and the Madina Hospital, where some of the wounded were being treated.
He said 58 people had been injured in the attack.
Seven of them were in a serious condition and the government was seeking "urgent advanced medical assistance" for them, added the prime minister.
AU troops and Somali forces blocked off streets and searched houses across the city on Monday to flush out suspected militants, Reuters reported.
Somali police official Mohamed Hassan told AFP news agency that more than 400 people had been detained.
"The operations are aimed at tackling insecurity," he is quoted as saying.
The AU has about 18,000 troops in Somalia to help the government battle the insurgents.The AU has about 18,000 troops in Somalia to help the government battle the insurgents.
Al-Shabab was forced out of Mogadishu in August 2011 following an offensive by AU and government. Al-Shabab was forced out of Mogadishu in August 2011 following an offensive by AU and government troops.
However, it has continued to carry out guerrilla attacks in the city.However, it has continued to carry out guerrilla attacks in the city.
The Islamist group still controls most villages and rural areas of southern and central Somalia.The Islamist group still controls most villages and rural areas of southern and central Somalia.
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud condemned the latest attacks as "nothing but a sign of desperation by the terrorists".
"Somalia is moving and will keep moving forward and will not be prevented [from achieving] a peaceful and stable Somalia by a few desperate terrorists," he said in a statement.
He was chosen by MPs last year in a UN-brokered process intended to end two decades of conflict in Somalia.