A devastating truck bomb explosion rocked a residential area in the central Somali town of Beledweyne, leaving at least 10 people dead and 20 others injured, according to a police official’s statement on Saturday.

The horrifying incident unfolded as a truck packed with explosives detonated at a checkpoint in the heart of Beledweyne. Videos of the aftermath, shared on social media and verified by Al Jazeera, showed local residents desperately sifting through the debris of demolished buildings, searching for survivors.

Police officer Ahmed Aden provided grim details of the tragedy, stating, “So far, I have seen 10 dead people, including soldiers and civilians, and over a dozen others injured, but the death toll is sure to rise.” He further noted that nearby buildings and shops were reduced to rubble, including the checkpoint itself.

Halima Nur, a witness who was near the site at the time of the explosion, shared her anguish, saying, “I do not know what to say, all the kiosks are now just rubble. I can’t trace my niece.” She revealed that her niece and others had been in a nearby shop and were now unreachable.

As of now, no group has claimed responsibility for this devastating attack in Beledweyne, located in central Somalia’s Hiran region. However, the region has recently experienced clashes between the military and the al-Shabab armed group.

The al-Shabab group has escalated its attacks following Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s declaration of an “all-out war” against the group, which aims to establish its rule. Government forces claimed to have killed dozens of fighters in the state of Galmudug just a day before this tragic incident.

Somalia, situated in the Horn of Africa, has grappled with armed rebellions for years, with the primary threats stemming from al-Shabab and ISIS-linked (ISIL) armed groups.