Extremists storm government office in Somalia’s capital, killing 5

Five civilians have been killed when al-Qaida-linked extremists stormed a regional government in Somalia in the capital on January 22.

As reported by the Associated Press, the ambulance service said that the team collected 16 wounded people from the scene.

The al-Shabab extremist group linked to al-Qaida has claimed responsibility for the assault on the Banadir Regional Administration headquarters in Mogadishu.

According to a staff member at the headquarters, the attack began with a suicide bombing before gunmen entered and exchanged fire with security guards. 

It comes only a few days after a US air strike assisting government troops in Somalia killed about 30 Islamist al-Shabab militants on January 20.