Al-Shabaab terror blast hits airport in Somalia, killing one Buildings at reconstructed airport flattened in terror attack, which also injures 5 people

Hiran: Al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Shabaab terrorists on Sunday set off a large blast at an airport in central Somalia, flattening buildings and killing one person and injuring 5, officials confirmed.

Hiiraan Area MP Mohamud Benebenne confirmed the attack on Bula Burte airport, saying that this was the second time that the terrorists have struck the recently reconstructed airport, which is strategically located.

Benebenne shared pictures of the airport showing buildings flattened and others on the brink of crumbling.

Al-Shabaab was behind a truck bomb attack in October 2017 in the Somali capital Mogadishu that took some 600 lives, the worst attack in the Horn of Africa country’s history..

on Sunday after al-Shabab militants destroyed the facility's buildings, officials said. Ahmed Mahad Nur, District Commissioner for Bulaburte town told reporters that al-Shabab militants secretly entered into the newly reconstructed airport on Saturday night and planted landmines which later exploded, injuring the five people.

Nur said a section of the airport which was set to be launched soon following completion of works was destroyed by the landmine.
Somali National Army and Djibouti forces under AU mission have bases in Bulaburte town and the airport is only 5 km away from the town.
Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack.