MOGADISHU (SD) – A hand grenade hurled at a security checkpoint in Beledweyne town of central Somalia has injured two people, officials and residents confirmed Tuesday.

Mohamed Osman Ali, a commissioner police in the town said the attack carried out by unknown assailants occurred at Buuntaweyn locality.

“The assailants attacked a security checkpoint with hand grenade. The explosion wounded two civilians but their condition is right now stable,” Ali said.

Residents also reported that the soldiers at the checkpoint fired but caused no casualties.

No group has yet claimed the responsibility the blast but al-Shabaab has been fighting Somali forces backed by African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom) for the past decade carries out attacks on the security checkpoints manned by Somali forces.

The group raided military bases outside Somali capital and bombed dozens of Somali government installations in Mogadishu and other towns in the past years.

Despite losing Mogadishu in 2011, the group is still in control of small towns and villages in central and southern Somalia.

The military recently intensified operations to liberate areas under the control of al-Shabaab. Early this week, Puntland and Galmudug state have announced joint operations against al-Shabaab fighters in Mudug region.