Car bomb blast leads to road closures in Mogadishu

Security officials in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu have cut off access to an important thoroughfare through the city.

Residents reported seeing large concrete barriers being placed at the Dabka road intersection, a public transport route from Bakara Market to the residential Waberi district.

The roadblocks come a day after Al-Shabaab militants detonated a car bomb near the presidential palace’s security checkpoint.

Security officials have asked commuters to be patient as the roads will be congested due to the closure. They added that additional security forces would be deployed in critical parts of the city.

Road closures are uncommon in Mogadishu as security officials struggle to contain Al-Shabaab militant’s use of vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices on the busy roads.