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Somalia calls for public help after deadly courthouse attack

MOGADISHU, Somalia, April 15 (UPI) -- The president of Somalia has called on the public to help drive out al-Qaida-linked militants who staged deadly attacks on Mogadishu.

The death toll from the Sunday attacks rose to more than 25, with more than 40 wounded, Garowe Onlinre reported Monday.

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Nine al-Shabaab fighters were killed during the battle in the capital city.

Following the attacks, President Hassan Sheik Mohamud declared a unified effort to eliminate al-Shabaab, the Shabelle Media Network reported.

He called on Somalis to assist the government in clearing out al-Shabaab members within the country.

"If you look back to all what they have done, it is not that they are fighting against the government or the security forces but they are in fight against every humankind -- particularly the people of Somalia and the people of Mogadishu," Mohamud said.

Six of the militants died when they detonated their explosive vests, Interior Minister Abdikarim Hassan Guled said. The others died in a gun battle with government forces.

In a separate attack in Mogadishu, two Turkish humanitarian workers, a Somali woman and a Somali child died when an explosives-laden car rammed their vehicle.

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Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for both attacks.

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