Death toll in Somalia truck bomb blast rises to 78

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the suicide attack.

Medical personnel carry a civilian who was wounded in suicide car bomb attack. (Photo| AP) 

MOGADISHU: The death toll in a massive truck bomb blast at a busy security checkpoint in Somali's capital Mogadishu on Saturday has risen to 78, country's medical charity Aamin Ambulance confirmed, adding that as many as 70 people have been rushed to hospitals for treatment.

Without mentioning the death toll, Mogadishu Mayor Omar Filish has, however, said that 90 people were injured in the incident. The mayor said that most of the casualties were students from the Banadir University in Mogadishu, Xinhua news agency reported.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the suicide attack.

The government and the police had earlier put the death toll to 30.