Somalia leader: al-Qaida behind bombing that killed 20, including national security minister

Somalia president: al-Qaida behind suicide bombing

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s president says al-Qaida is behind a suicide bombing that killed the national security minister in a western Somali town.

Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed says a senior Somali diplomat also died in Thursday’s attack in Belet Weyne that killed at least 20 people.

“It was an act of terrorism and it is part of the terrorist attack on our people,” Ahmed said. “Al-Qaida is attacking us.”

Ahmed spoke to journalists in the Somali capital.