Five people, including two Turkish citizens were killed in a drive-by shooting in the Somali capital Mogadishu on Wednesday, Horseed Media reports.
The incident took place in Hodan district where the gunmen sprayed bullets at a van they were riding in. The unknown assailants managed to escape from the scene before security forces arrived to carry out investigations.
Among the dead are three Somali national who were also riding the car, confirmed witnesses and security officials. Four other people were injured in the attack.
No group has claimed the responsibility. The motive behind the attack is not yet known, but militant group al-Shabaab has carried out similar drive-by shooting in the capital.
The role of the Turkish nationals has yet been identified.
Several Turkish nationals have been killed in Mogadishu over the past years.
Turkey’s involvement in Somalia emerged in 2011 when Prime Minister Recep Tayyib Erdogan paid a rare visit to Mogadishu, becoming the first non-African leader to visit the war-torn city for two decades.
It reopened its embassy in November 2011, becoming the only country outside the region to have a functioning mission in the impoverished war-torn country.
Since then Turkey has provided $400 million in aid to the country building hospitals, schools and other structures and educating students in Turkey with scholarships.
Horseed Media
Somalia: 2 Turkish citizens among 5 shot dead in Mogadishu
Published: March 30, 2016
