A suicide bomber from Al-Shebab militia group rammed a vehicle filled with explosives into a convoy of African Union troops Monday that killed 16, and wounded 27 Gov. Adukadir Mohamed Sidi said.
Sidi stated the explosion destroyed two buses traveling behind the military convoy, which was transporting the governor as he traveled back from Mogadishu.
This is the first attack since militant Islamist group al-Shabab vowed to avenge the killing of its leader Ahmed Abdi Godane last week in a U.S airstrike.
The Al-Shabaab terrorist group claimed responsibility for the attack and said Americans and South Africans were among those killed.
The suicide bombing came as Human Rights Watch (HRW) accused AU troops of raping women and girls in Somalia.
Somalia has been on high alert for strikes since the appointment of its new leader Abu Umar.
