Unconfirmed eyewitness reports suggest that the blast may have left up to three people dead. However, no official details regarding any casualties have been released.
Government sources confirm that the President was unharmed and en route to Middle Shabelle in southern Somalia to oversee military operations against al-Shabab.
Al-Shabab, a group in opposition to the government, is responsible for frequent bombings and attacks against government and military personnel.
This assault marks only the second occurrence since 2014 that the President has been directly targeted.
In recent weeks, the Somali government has intensified its efforts to combat al-Shabab, which holds control over certain rural areas and poses a threat to the government’s authority in the nation located at the Horn of Africa.
