A mortar explosion near Qoryoley, a city in the Lower Shabelle region of southern Somalia, killed some 27 people, most of them children, and injured 53 others on Friday, according to the state news agency.
The children “were playing with a mortar that did not explode. It exploded on them,” said Abdi Ahmed, deputy commissioner of Korioli district, a city of about 60,000 people south of the capital, Mogadishu.
“We call on the government and aid agencies to remove mines and missiles from the area,” Mr. Ahmed added.
Residents said unexploded ordnance was used by warring factions in Somalia.
In Mogadishu, on Friday, a beachfront hotel was attacked, with the extremist group Al Shabaab claiming responsibility, according to the Associated Press. As of Friday evening, there were no reports of any deaths in the attack on the Pearl Beach Hotel, as the security forces continued their fight with the militants through the night.
