Suicide Bombing: Somalia military commander narrowly escapes death

General Yusuf Rage has escaped unscathed on Monday July 14, 2020, after a suicide bomber drove a car loaded with bombs into his convoy in Somalia capital, Mogadishu.

Al-Shabab, known to be linked to the al-Qaeda, has claimed responsibility for the attack.

A military relations officer, Colonel Abdiqani Ali, reported that the explosion struck when General Yusuf Rage’s convoy was close to a Mogadishu military hospital in Hodan district.

The commander’s guards swiftly opened fire at the suspected attacker driving a bomb-laden car targeted at the convoy.

“The bomber was shot and his car bomb exploded. The commander and his guards escaped unhurt,” Abdiqani said.

However, one civilian lost his life to the bomb explosion and six others sustained injury, though the level of injury was unclear.

Aamin Ambulance service in Mogadishu said it received the body of one civilian.

General Rage, 32, is the youngest army chief in the history of Somalia, with his appointment nearly a year.

Al-Shabab’s military operations spokesperson, Abdiasis Abu Musab, said in a statement that the group was responsible for the “martyrdom operation” in Mogadishu.

“The target was a military convoy escorting senior apostate commanders,” Abdiasis said.

The armed group has been fighting since 2008 to take over the central government and rule the country with the Islamic law understood based on their own rigid interpretation.

In 2011, African Union sent 20,000 peacekeepers to join government forces and drive Al-Shabab out of Mogadishu.

While the group has been chased outside the capital city, it still controls parts of the territory and launch attacks including suicide bombings targeted at government and international affiliates.