Militants from Somalia’s al Shabaab group stormed a government building housing the security and interior ministries on Saturday after twin bombings wounded at least 17 people nearby in central Mogadishu. A Reuters witness saw a heavy exchange of gunfire outside the building, which is also used by police. Smoke drifted from burning vehicles following a suicide car bombing close to the presidential palace and a second blast near the security building. A spokesman for the Islamist group al Shabaab said it had carried out both bombings and said its fighters remained inside the government security building. “We stormed the building which houses the security ministry, interior ministry and police,” Abdiasis Abu Musab, al Shabaab’s military operations spokesman, told Reuters. “We’re still inside the building.” Police official Major Mohamed Hussein said the second explosion took place when a vehicle carrying al Shabaab fighters to storm the building after the first explosion was detonated remotely. Published in Daily Times, July 8th 2018.