MOGADISHU (Reuters) – A suicide bomber rammed an explosive-laden car into a convoy carrying Qatari officials through the center of Somalia’s capital Mogadishu on Sunday, killing at least eight Somalis, officials said.
The visiting delegation of Qataris, who were traveling in the Somali interior minister’s bullet-proof vehicle, were “safe”, a security officer told Reuters, without going into further detail. The minister was not in the car at the time.
The Islamist rebel group al Shabaab said it was behind the attack and threatened further strikes against Somalia’s government, which it called a “puppet” of Western powers.
“More explosions are on the way,” al Shabaab’s military spokesman Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab told Reuters by telephone.
The al Qaeda-linked rebels, who want to impose their version of Islamic law or sharia on the country, have kept up a campaign of guerrilla-style attacks since African peacekeepers pushed them out of bases in the city and other major towns.
Western powers, long worried Somalia is a launch pad for militant Islam in east Africa and beyond, fear it could slide back into chaos if security forces cannot cement security gains.
The blast tore through the busy ‘Kilometre 4’ road junction in the center of Mogadishu’s commercial and administrative district, hurling metal debris over a wide area. Nearby buildings were blackened and power cables hung loose from poles.
It was not clear in the confusion that followed the blast how many people had been killed. A coordinator for Mogadishu’s emergency services said ambulances had carried away the 15 bodies.
Earlier, the chairman of the city’s Hodan district, where the attack took place, told reporters at the blast site eight people had died.
“A silver 4×4 sped around the roundabout blaring its horn as it chased the convoy,” college student Abdullahi Ismail told Reuters at the scene, nursing a gash in his forehead. “It hit the last car in the convoy.”
LONDON CONFERENCE
Qatar has been forging closer political ties with Somalia in recent years as it seeks to expand its influence in the Horn of Africa region.
Sunday’s bomb was a stark reminder of two decades of civil strife in a country where the central government depends heavily on a near 18,000-strong African peacekeeping force for its survival.
While there has been a significant improvement in the coastal capital since African Union troops drove the Islamist al Shabaab group out of the city in 2011, the attack showed the relative ease with which the militants can still strike.
Parts of Mogadishu were in lock-down last week after security officials received a tip-off about an imminent attack, but security was relaxed on Saturday.
The ‘Kilometre 4’ intersection connects the city’s fortified airport, where the United Kingdom opened an embassy on April 25, with the presidential palace, parliament and other ministries.
The state of Somalia’s security forces will top the agenda at conference in London on May 7. Britain and Somalia are hoping to use the event to drum up more international support at a time when al Shabaab are weakened as a fighting force but can still inflict devastating strikes.
Civil war after the fall of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991 left Somalia without effective central government and awash with weapons. The turmoil opened the doors for piracy to flourish in the Gulf of Aden and deeper into the Indian Ocean.
Source: Reuters
This is real Somalia live. Civil-war is raging once again between Daarood-doofaar and Hawiye Afar-qooble, who never conciled in the first place ever-since 1991. Somalia is under occupation of Ethiopia, Kenya, and Qatar, who all have their own opposing agenda, and therefore can sabotage each other when ever they feel like by applying such terror. Somalia is a mere name of place where wild tribes slaughter each other and let others take endless advantage of them. LONG LIVE THE FREE AND NOBLE PEOPLE OF THE REBUPLIC OF SOMALILAND.
lol you are on crack go seek help. This terrorist attack was done by godane who is isaaq sent by your warlord big belly. But the west is figuring this out and dhabshill is under investigation in the Netherlands for funding terror. No one cares about your triangle land but look at the Qatari et al. visiting are beautiful land, I can feel the envy hahahah.
I think you are on crack What is beautiful to you damm sounds like you are the one on CRACK
Another idiotic isaaq.
This war is being carried out by isaaq terrorist Godane against the Hawiye government of Mogadishu.
Now get out of here and do your homework you've made a fool out of yourself.
Arab money once financed The Islamic-court Union and later Shabab.
🙂 Qatar, UAE, Egypt, Sudan, Saudi, Libya all played their parts when they payed for arms that were either shipped through Eritrea or Kenya into Shabab controlled Somalia-Federation.
Ironic their own explosives now threaten their politicians lives!
:~) Poetic justice
The real supporters of is ETHIOPIA it's well known fact…………..
correct,,,,,,,,,,, of AL-shabab
There are 3 things different about us in SOMALILAND and those from the zoomalia we are GOOD and they are BAD we are HAPPY and they are SAD we are BEAUTIFUL and they are UGLY.
Al-Shabab are the masters of the game in Southern Somalia. The Arabs deny the legitimacy of Somaliland and trying to finance the war lords in Mogadishu and got their reward from the terrorists in Mogadishu. When a government is not partial about the events taking place around the world and sided with one group of people against the other then, there will be no justices and justices ignore is justices denied.
Whatever is left of the former Somali-Italiano is most occupied by Al-Shabab. The lies of the so-called of the Brundians, and Ugandis that they cleaned up of Muuqdisho is all a hogwash. Al-Shabbab is well and alife, and will never be defeated. Walweyn stop day dreaming and face the reality. Neo-Zomali-Italano is the areas around Muuqdisho. Viva the Republic of Somaliland. Qoslaaye is not a story in Somaliland
Smarti Qatars should be more cautious about the unchartered failed Somalia…otherwise all those
upfront Qatari sorts on the world stage would become backstage as long as the havoc Somalians
are concerned???
Cheers.
It was few days ago when Godana spoke and sent message to his low IQ followers in Mogadshu to attack indiscriminately. the two months more than 70 people were kill.
As long Hargiesa Council supporting indirectly Godana this sort of terrorist will keep occurring.
Correct——– the last two
First of all Somalia is not our enemy Daroodism is! Second, I hope our brothers in Somalia work out this al shayadeen business. Say whatever you want these guys are able to do these things because there are civilians that are helping them and giving them cover. If that were not the case they people would have already turned them over. The government needs to start an intensive investigation if they want to survive.
Does anyone wonder why these so called muslims are only doing these bombings in already poor and war ravaged countries? I mean its not like you see the UAE, Saudi, Egypt etc being blown up, they fund these fundamentalists to destroy the future and hope of other nations while their original countries are left untouched.
This isn't about Islam its about power clocked in Islam, its a form of Arab/Islamic Imperialism…..live under our form of Islam or else. Meaning we cannot decide for ourselves what is fit for our people but be lorded over. When will Somalis wake up?
kkkkkkkkkkkk, Nlander/louder,kkkkkkkkkkkk. Darood is 32% Somali people population so without them nothing goes forward it is been that way for centuries.
The reason every time this keep occurring because, Moryaan and Al-shabab are the same bu also Godana which has underground support from Hargiesa council contributing this problem.
If Darood is your enemy then why do you people want Dhulbahante and Warsangeli to be part of republic of isaaqistan?. Yes i understand they were part of the British Somaliland but if you guy can't stand Daroods then i suggest you forget about Dhull and Warsan clans.
ANKARA (AA) – Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday held separate phone conversations with his British counterpart David Cameron and French President Francois Hollande.
Turkish Prime Ministry sources said that Erdogan and the two foreign leaders discussed bilateral relations and international issues, primarily Syria.
David Cameron phoned Erdogan and invited him to the Conference on Somalia to take place in London on Tuesday. Erdogan told Cameron he would not be able to attend the London conference and that he would send Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu to the conference.
Prime Minister Erdogan phoned French President Hollande and the two leaders discussed cooperation in the energy field, bilateral relations and the need to speed up Turkey’s EU accession talks.
Erdogan and Hollande both expressed pleasure over the progress made in bilateral relations and exchanged views on the issues of Syria and Mali.
Some political analyst believe Turkish government are not happy President Hassan sheikh of Somalia his double dealing.
Source from: http://www.jubbalandmedia.com