70 die in Somalia bombing
Source: Agencies |
October 5, 2011, Wednesday
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Islamist militants detonated a truck bomb in front of the education ministry in Somalia's capital Mogadishu yesterday as students and parents crowded around to learn about scholarships, killing at least 70 people and wounding dozens.
It was the deadliest bomb attack in Somalia by al-Shabab, an al-Qaida-linked group which began its insurgency five years ago. It was also the first significant attack in the capital since al-Shabab withdrew most of its gunmen in August amid an offensive by African Union forces, which is protecting the weak UN-backed government.
The truck blew up at a security checkpoint at the entrance to the Ministry of Education, said Ali Hussein, a police officer in Mogadishu. After the blast, blackened corpses were sprawled on the debris-strewn street amid burning vehicles.
Uniformed soldiers dragged the wounded from the scene. The government said students and their parents were among those killed.
Abdiqadir Muhyadin, who works at the information ministry, lost a finger in the explosion. He said the vehicle initially appeared to have lost control and smashed through a security barrier before it exploded.
"Dozens of dead bodies and human flesh were scattered all over the area. A dead body fell over me," he said.
Ali Abdullahi, a nurse at the Medina hospital, said they were treating people with amputated limbs and burns, and patients who had been blinded.
"It is the most awful tragedy I have ever seen," he said. "Imagine dozens are being brought here minute by minute. Most of the wounded people are unconscious and others have their faces blackened by smoke and heat."
Ali Muse, chief of Mogadishu's ambulance service, said at least 70 people died and 42 others were wounded.
"The explosion has not only affected the targeted place, but even passersby and car passengers died there. The death toll may increase and we are still carrying many dead bodies," he said. "It is the worst tragedy I have ever seen in the capital."
"The casualties are mostly students and parents who were waiting for results of scholarships from the Ministry of Higher Education," the government said. "The attack shows that the danger from terrorists is not yet over and that there are obviously still people who want to derail the advances the Somali people have made towards peace."
Al-Shabab immediately claimed responsibility for the attack on a website it uses.
"Our Mujahideen fighters have entered a place where ministers and AMISOM foreigners stay," al-Shabab said in a brief post, referring to the peacekeeping African Union Mission for Somalia.
Suicide bombings were unheard of in Somalia before 2007 but have become increasingly frequent.
It was the deadliest bomb attack in Somalia by al-Shabab, an al-Qaida-linked group which began its insurgency five years ago. It was also the first significant attack in the capital since al-Shabab withdrew most of its gunmen in August amid an offensive by African Union forces, which is protecting the weak UN-backed government.
The truck blew up at a security checkpoint at the entrance to the Ministry of Education, said Ali Hussein, a police officer in Mogadishu. After the blast, blackened corpses were sprawled on the debris-strewn street amid burning vehicles.
Uniformed soldiers dragged the wounded from the scene. The government said students and their parents were among those killed.
Abdiqadir Muhyadin, who works at the information ministry, lost a finger in the explosion. He said the vehicle initially appeared to have lost control and smashed through a security barrier before it exploded.
"Dozens of dead bodies and human flesh were scattered all over the area. A dead body fell over me," he said.
Ali Abdullahi, a nurse at the Medina hospital, said they were treating people with amputated limbs and burns, and patients who had been blinded.
"It is the most awful tragedy I have ever seen," he said. "Imagine dozens are being brought here minute by minute. Most of the wounded people are unconscious and others have their faces blackened by smoke and heat."
Ali Muse, chief of Mogadishu's ambulance service, said at least 70 people died and 42 others were wounded.
"The explosion has not only affected the targeted place, but even passersby and car passengers died there. The death toll may increase and we are still carrying many dead bodies," he said. "It is the worst tragedy I have ever seen in the capital."
"The casualties are mostly students and parents who were waiting for results of scholarships from the Ministry of Higher Education," the government said. "The attack shows that the danger from terrorists is not yet over and that there are obviously still people who want to derail the advances the Somali people have made towards peace."
Al-Shabab immediately claimed responsibility for the attack on a website it uses.
"Our Mujahideen fighters have entered a place where ministers and AMISOM foreigners stay," al-Shabab said in a brief post, referring to the peacekeeping African Union Mission for Somalia.
Suicide bombings were unheard of in Somalia before 2007 but have become increasingly frequent.
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