MOGADISHU, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- At least six people were killed on Sunday when a minibus hit a landmine in Somalia's Middle Shabelle region, local officials have confirmed.
Information Minister of Hirshabelle State, Mahad Hassan, said the explosion occurred when a landmine hit a minibus at Daniga village about 15 kilometers west of Bal'ad town in Middle Shabelle region.
"We are examining the incident and will brief you later," Hassan told Xinhua by telephone.
A resident in the area told Xinhua that the minibus carrying vegetables was from Afgoye town in lower Shabelle region and was heading to Bal'ad town when it hid the roadside bomb.
"Four women, a driver and the conductor who were traveling on the minibus were killed in the landmine explosion at Daniga Balow, the bus was from Afgoye town and was going to Bal'ad town," he said.
Al-Shabaab militants did not comment on the latest incident which comes after more than 350 people were killed in bombing attacks in Mogadishu on Oct. 14.
The terror group often launches gun and bomb attacks on officials, Somali security forces and African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) in an effort to topple the government and impose its own brand of government on Somalia.
There has been fighting early this month between Somali National Army and Al-Shabaab militants in the area where the landmine explosion happened on Sunday.
Al-Shabaab militants often carry out a remote control landmine attacks along the way linking Mogadishu to Bal'ad and Jowhar town in the same region.
The East African militants group has launched repeated attacks against the western-backed Somali government in the recent past, killing 358 people in one of the deadliest attacks on Oct. 14.
