At least three people were killed Saturday and 25 others were wounded when a car bomb exploded on a busy road in the Somali capital of Mogadishu, police said.
Police spokesman Ali Hirsi Barre told VOA the bomb was detonated near a shopping center shortly after gunmen in another car opened fire on nearby government officials. Local reports said those officials, traveling under security escort, included the governor of the Galgaduud region of central Somalia.
It was not immediately clear whether the governor was hurt in the attack.
A local hospital told VOA that 19 people were treated for injuries sustained in the attack, and that six of them had since been released.
Al-Shabab militants claimed responsibility, telling Reuters reporters that "some government officials died" in the attack.
On Wednesday, national and regional leaders in Somalia ended three days of talks on how best to hold elections in 2016.
The leaders decided to dissolve the government next September but are not prohibiting President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and the 275 members of parliament from seeking re-election.
Compromise on next election
The assembly also decided the next election model will be based on a combination of district and clan process, a compromise that emerged because the country’s main regions are split on whether to task responsibility of electing the lawmakers to clan elders or district representatives.
After a prolonged civil war, a government for Somalia was chosen by 135 clan leaders who met in Mogadishu in 2012.
Leaders are expected to meet again in Kismayo on January 10 to iron out final issues.
