Bulo — Eight members of the same family were killed in a mine explosion in central Somalia on Sunday, as confirmed by local security officials.

Sadam Abdi Idow, the commissioner of the Bulo-Burde district, told Radio Shabelle that a landmine buried on the road hit the motorcycle the farmers were riding.

The victims were 7 men and one woman, and they came from their farm yesterday afternoon and were heading back to their home in Jicibow village.

The residents in the rural area heard the blast and alerted authorities in Bulo-Burde, who later rushed to the scene and took the bodies to their family house.

It is not known who was behind the blast, but the place is one of the areas where the SNA forces and Al-Shabaab are fighting in the eastern Hiran region, central Somalia.

Hiraan region is a place where there have been stiff battles between the government forces and Al-Shabaab since last year, there are still military activities in preparation for the 2nd phase of the operation.