Roadside Bomb Kills 4 in Somalia

The Associated Press reports:

A police officer in Somalia says at least four civilians died after their car hit a roadside bomb in the capital.

The officer, Ahmed Abdullahi, said Tuesday that the explosion was caused by a roadside bomb apparently intended for African Union peacekeepers. He said seven others were wounded when the blast hit the minibus.

About 9,000 Ugandan and Burundian peacekeepers are stationed in Somalia's capital to serve as a bulwark against militants' efforts to overrun the U.N.-backed government.

Mogadishu residents have borne the brunt of the country's two decades of violence, and rights groups accuse warring sides of endangering civilians.

Somalia has been mired in violence since 1991, when warlords toppled the country's last central government.