MOGADISHU, Somalia, Feb. 18 (UPI) — An offshoot of the militant group al-Shabab in Somalia is behind this week’s assassination attempt on the Somali defense minister, an official said.

Somali Interior Minister Abdiqadir Ali Omar told London’s pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat that the Mujahedin Youth Movement was behind the Monday attack on the defense minister.

“Regrettably, the movement’s aims are sabotage and spreading chaos in the country,” he added. “They are declaring they are (al-Qaida) followers and this has been reported in the various media organs.”

Somali Defense Minister Yusuf Mohamed Siad survived an assassination attempt Monday when a car laden with explosives detonated near his convoy in Mogadishu.

Somalia announced in January that it was planning a major offensive against Islamic rebels in the country with the support of African peacekeepers.

“We do not want to divulge any information but the government wants to achieve stability and peace in the entire capital and we believe that it will succeed,” said the interior minister.

The United Nations this week said it was “alarmed” at the level of violence in Mogadishu. Government forces clashed with al-Shabaab last week, leaving 24 people dead and more than 150 others injured.

Somalia has not had an effective government since 1991.

Source: UPI

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