Four killed in Somali Shebab suicide attack on UN convoy

MOGADISHU, Dec 3 (AP): Four people were killed and nine wounded in Somalia's capital Mogadishu on Wednesday when a suicide bomber rammed a car packed with explosives into a UN convoy, police and rebels said.

The convoy of armoured vehicles were ferrying staff between Mogadishu's heavily-fortified airport and a protected UN base in the city when it was hit close to the airport gate.

Somalia's Al-Qaeda-affiliated Shebab rebels, who are fighting to overthrow the country's internationally-backed government, said in a statement that their fighters had "targeted a convoy of foreign mercenaries and their apostate allies."

UN convoys are systematically flanked by pickup trucks carrying private security officers who provide protection for international staff.

"The bomber drove in between the security escort and the UN armoured vehicles and detonated the car, ramming into one of the escort vehicles," police officer Mohamed Liban told AFP.

Liban said he had counted four bodies, all Somali nationals either providing security for the UN or those passing by who had been caught by the blast. Police said nine others were wounded.

The UN mission in Somalia confirmed the attack, saying in a statement that there were "thankfully no injuries to UN staff" but regretting the "casualties amongst bystanders and security personnel."