MOGADISHU, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Seven Somali soldiers were killed and two others injured on Thursday when a military vehicle ran into an improvised explosive device (IED) in Lower Shabelle region, southern Somalia, officials said.
A police officer, who did not want to be named, told Xinhua by phone that the soldiers were traveling outside Wanlaweyn town when the attack happened.
"I can confirm that seven soldiers have been killed in the blast," said the officer. "They were traveling outside the town," he added.
Eyewitness Amina Ahmed told Xinhua that the explosion could be heard from a distance, causing panic in the area.
"Everyone was scared since the blast was so heavy. We learnt that soldiers were killed," she said.
The attack comes barely a day after a bomb blast killed at least 15 people in the town which is located some 90 kilometers northwest of Mogadishu. The attack happened at a market Wednesday evening.
Ali Nur, deputy governor of the Lower Shabelle region also confirmed that the soldiers were traveling in a pickup vehicle which hit the explosive device on their way to Afgoye town.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility but the militant group has in the recent past set explosive devices on roads used by both the Somali army and their African Union counterparts.
