Al Shabaab militants killed at least 18 civilians and destroyed trucks laden with relief food in an overnight attack in Somalia's central region, residents and a state news agency said on Saturday.
The Islamist group launched the attack in the Hiran area in the semi-autonomous state of Hirshabelle in central Somalia. The trucks were transporting food supplies from Baladweyne city to Mahas town, residents said.
"Al Shabaab killed 18 civilians and burnt...several trucks of relief food heading to Mahas town last night," Farah Aden, a local elder told Reuters by phone.