An explosion at a popular restaurant in the Howlwadaag neighborhood of Beledweyne town, located in the Hiiraan region, resulted in the death of at least one civilian and injured seven others on Tuesday.
The blast occurred at an establishment frequented by local youths, particularly those involved in football, leaving residents in the area shaken and in disbelief.
Security forces arrived at the scene several hours post-explosion to conduct an investigation, but no arrests have been reported thus far.
Recent weeks have seen rising tensions in Beledweyne, highlighted by an incident last night where gunmen killed a soldier from the Somali National Army, identified as Abdirahman Ali Kaar, and seized his AK-47 rifle in the Koshin neighborhood.