Explosion at parliament building kills six

At least six people were killed and up to 10 wounded in an explosion on Monday as the president of Somali's Transitional Federal Government (TFG) was leaving the building housing the interim parliament in the town of Baidoa, the temporary seat of government, an official said.

"Yes, there was an explosion outside the parliament when one of the president’s escort vehicles exploded," Abdirahman Dinari, the government spokesman, said. "At least three of the president’s security detail were killed in a targeted attempt on the president’s life.

The president has not been hurt."

The explosion occurred as the president, Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, was leaving the building after giving a speech to legislators, who were debating the government’s programme for the next six months, said an MP, who requested anonymity.

A local reporter said at least six vehicles belonging to MPs were destroyed in the explosion. The reporter said he could not immediately determine how many people had been wounded or killed but added, "It was a big explosion and the death toll could be much higher [than the original estimate]."

It was unclear what caused the explosion, the MP said, "but it has created an air of uncertainty".

It was too early to say "whether or not the president was the target," he added.

The reporter added, "There is no way anyone can now say what caused it or who was behind it."

He said TFG security forces had cordoned off the area and were evacuating the wounded to hospital.

ah/mw/oss