Militants with an al-Qaeda-linked group threw several bombs into the United Nations compound in Mogadishu, Somalia, early Wednesday, storming the facility and unleashing a gunbattle that left at least 12 dead.
Among the dead were five Somali civilians and two al-Shabab attackers, CBS reported. A spokesman for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia said the first bomb blew around 11:30 a.m. local time (4:30 a.m. EDT), and another two followed within minutes. U.N. staff moved immediately to a nearby bunker, CBS reported.
African Union and Somali security regained control of the compound within an hour. U.N. staffers then were evacuated to a military complex across the street, CBS reported.
Some discrepancies with death and injury tolls exist.
The United Nations has not yet released an official death count. Local officials reported 12; one U.N. worker said four of his colleagues were definitely killed, as well as one Kenyan, one Somalian and two South Africans, CBS reported. Moreover, there are several wounded: One ambulance driver said he had transported 10 with injuries to area hospitals, CBS reported.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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