Global Courant
Local officials say an unexploded mortar was detonated near where mostly children between the ages of 10 and 15 were playing.
A mortar shell explosion in Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region left more than 20 dead, mostly children and youth, and more than 50 injured, according to media reports.
Most of the victims killed Friday were between the ages of 10 and 15, according to news reports, which attributed the blast to an unexploded mortar shell that was hit and detonated near an area where the children and youth were were playing.
The explosion “caused by unexploded mortar rounds” occurred near the town of Qoryoley, about 120km south of the capital Mogadishu, said Abdi Ahmed Ali, Qoryoley’s deputy district commissioner.
“They were playing with a mortar shell… It exploded on them. Twenty of them died and others were injured,” Ali said.
“We are asking the government and aid agencies to remove mines and shells from the area,” he said.
Residents said Somalia’s warring factions once left the grenade behind.
Another report said the children found an intact explosive device on a soccer field and were playing with it when it exploded. Recent rainfall had, according to reports, exposed the explosive.
