Somalia car bomb kills scores

A Somali soldier keeps guard near burned bodies and a burning vehicle at the scene of an explosion in Mogadishu, Somalia, Oct. 4, 2011. / AP

Updated at 6:50 a.m. Eastern

MOGADISHU, Somalia - A rescue official says the toll from a truck bomb in Somalia's capital has risen to 70 dead.

Ali Muse, the chief of Mogadishu's ambulance service, said Tuesday that at least 42 others were wounded when a truck laden with explosives blew up in front of the Ministry of Education.

Ali Hussein, a police officer in Mogadishu, said the vehicle blew up after pulling up to a checkpoint at the entrance to the ministry offices.

The al Qaeda linked militant group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack in a website it uses.

[JavMD]

what was the purpose of that? testing out new bomb material? Ministry of Education, terrorists don't like 'education', makes people smarter and capable of thinking (that the government and society is better than 'terrorism-radical Muslims

[markamichaud]

This may sound insensitive, but who cares?

[tsigili]

Al-Queda's new playground.

[mask2697]

looks like the somali civil war just started again...