Somali police officers killed by Puntland bomb - Pirates blamed

At least three Somali police officers have been killed by a roadside bomb in the port city of Bossaso in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland.

The bomb is reported to have exploded as the police vehicle drove past on a routine patrol.
Puntland has been relatively stable compared with the rest of Somalia but violence has recently increased.

Last month a judge known for his tough stance against pirates and Islamist militants was shot dead.

Many of the pirates who attack ships in the Indian Ocean are based in Puntland. It is also home to people-traffickers who help people cross the Red Sea to Aden.