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Blast in Kenya Kills 3, Injures Lawmaker, Others


Policemen inspect the secured section at the scene of the blast in Eastleigh suburb of Kenya's capital Nairobi, December 7, 2012.
Policemen inspect the secured section at the scene of the blast in Eastleigh suburb of Kenya's capital Nairobi, December 7, 2012.
An explosion outside a mosque in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, has killed at least three people and wounded a member of parliament.

An aide to parliament member Yusuf Hassan Abdi, Mohamed Ismail, told VOA's Somali service that the lawmaker was taking questions from the public outside al-Hidaya mosque when the blast went off Friday. He said Abdi was wounded in both legs and his left hand.

It is not clear if Abdi was the target of the attack.

The Red Cross said at least seven other people were injured in the explosion, which took place in the largely Somali neighborhood of Eastleigh.

The blast was the second to hit the neighborhood in two days. An explosion Wednesday wounded at least eight people.

No one has claimed responsibility for Friday's attack.

Over the past year, Kenya has seen a series of explosions, which officials blame on the Somalia-based Islamist group al-Shabab. Kenyan troops moved into Somalia to suppress al-Shabab and the militant group vowed revenge attacks inside Kenya.
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