MOGADISHU, April 6 (Xinhua) -- At least six people including two soldiers were killed and several others injured in two separate explosions in Somalia capital Mogadishu on Friday.
The police and witnesses said the first explosion occurred at a checkpoint along the road near the airport in Mogadishu after the vehicle had been intercepted by the security officers manning the checkpoint. The blast injured three soldiers while a bomber died.
"The second blast occurred an hour later at another checkpoint in Sei piano in Hodan district (West of Mogadishu) a few minutes after Friday prayers," said a police officer who declined to be named.
He said two soldiers were killed after the security forces killed three militants who had passed through the checkpoint with vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED).
Internal Security spokesman Abdiaziz Ali Ibrahim said security forces managed to thwart the deadly attack by the extremists.
Ibrahim said the security officers managed to stop the suicide bomber but noted that the vehicle exploded after the security forces barred it from entering the road to the airport.
Extremists have recently increased their attacks against the African Union and Somali forces especially in Mogadishu targeting their bases, hotels and other public places.