The Baghdad Post, 24 May 2017 –  ISIS terror group has claimed responsibility for what is thought to be its first suicide attack in Somalia. Five people died when a suicide bomber detonated an explosive at a checkpoint in the northeastern port city of Bosaso, in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland, on Tuesday, International Business Times reported on Wednesday.

“Security forces stopped the suspect when he approached but he detonated himself leaving five people dead. One of the security officers and four civilians were killed in the blast,” local police official Mohamed Dahir Adan said.

The group’s Amaq news agency claimed responsibility for the attack, according to SITE intelligence group.

Witnesses believe the bomber was trying to target a nearby hotel often used for meetings by officials.

Although this is considered the first suicide attack linked to ISIS, the group had previously claimed responsibility for an explosion that targeted a military vehicle belonging to the African Union (AU) in the outskirts of the capital Mogadishu last April.