Twin blasts kill at least six in Somalia's Baidoa

MOGADISHU, Oct. 13 -- At least six people were killed and more than 15 others injured after twin blasts hit a hotel and restaurant in Somalia's southern town of Baidoa in Bay region, police and witnesses said on Saturday.

The first blast occurred at a busy restaurant where a suicide bomber blew himself up and after a few minutes, a similar attack struck Bilan Hotel in the center of the town.

"So far, we know that at least six people were killed in the attacks. The death toll could rise," a police officer who declined to be named told Xinhua.

Witnesses recounted seeing bodies strewn on the ground.

"I saw several bodies lying on the ground as gunfire raged at the scene," Abdifitah Muhidin, a witness, told Xinhua.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks, but the militant group al-Shabab has conducted similar attacks in the past.

The latest attack comes as the Somali government is planning to hold nationwide memorial events to mark the first anniversary of the deadliest bombing that devastated the Somali capital Mogadishu and killed more than 500 people on October 14, 2017.