Official: 16 killed during attack on parliament in Somali capital as lawmakers meet

16 killed during attack on Somali parliament

MOGADISHU, Somalia — A medical official says 16 civilians have been killed after Islamic insurgents attacked a building where Somalia’s parliament was meeting.

Abdullahi Hassan Barise, the police spokesman, says no legislator was killed or wounded in the attack by Islamic insurgents.

Ali Muse, the head of Mogadishu’s ambulance service, says his staff counted 16 bodies and that 31 wounded people were taken to the hospital.

It was the first time lawmakers have tried to meet this year because of threats from the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab group. Somalia has not had an effective parliament or government for the past 19 years.