At least 19 people including three Cabinet ministers were killed in suicide bombing in Somalia's capital Mogadishu on Thursday, Al Jazeera reported.
A male terrorist disguised as a woman blew himself up in a crowded graduation ceremony for medical students. University professors and journalists also were among those killed. At least 50 people were injured, including the country's sports minister, Saleban Olad Roble.
"Of the three ministers killed in the blast, one was a woman - Qamar Aden Ali, the health minister. Ibrahim Hassan Adow, the minister for higher education, and Ahmed Abdullahi Wayel, the minister for education, also died," the news network said.
Eyewitnesses said the attack was apparently aimed at the top officials. None of the country's militant groups have claimed responsibility.
Attacks on government officials are a common occurrence in the impoverished African state, which has been without an effective government since 1991.
In June, the country's minister of national security was killed in a suicide bombing, along with 23 other people. An Islamist insurgency group, Al-Shabab, claimed responsibility for the attack.
MOSCOW, December 3 (RIA Novosti)
