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Suicide Blast in Somalia Kills 15, Police Say | Suicide Blast in Somalia Kills 15, Police Say |
(35 minutes later) | |
NAIROBI, Kenya — More than a dozen people, including at least four Ethiopian soldiers, were killed Saturday in a suicide attack on a cafe in western Somalia, near the border with Ethiopia. The Shabab, the militant Somali Islamist group, claimed responsibility. | NAIROBI, Kenya — More than a dozen people, including at least four Ethiopian soldiers, were killed Saturday in a suicide attack on a cafe in western Somalia, near the border with Ethiopia. The Shabab, the militant Somali Islamist group, claimed responsibility. |
The attacker, strapped with explosives, blew himself up around 11 a.m. in Beledweyne, a city about 200 miles northwest of the capital, Mogadishu, officials said. Col. Isack Ali Abdulle, a police commander in Beledweyne, told local reporters that 15 people were killed in the attack. | The attacker, strapped with explosives, blew himself up around 11 a.m. in Beledweyne, a city about 200 miles northwest of the capital, Mogadishu, officials said. Col. Isack Ali Abdulle, a police commander in Beledweyne, told local reporters that 15 people were killed in the attack. |
Through a spokesman, Abdiaziz Abu Musab, the Shabab claimed responsibility and said the suicide bomber had been targeting soldiers from Ethiopia and Djibouti who frequented the cafe. He gave a higher death toll, saying 25 people had been killed. | Through a spokesman, Abdiaziz Abu Musab, the Shabab claimed responsibility and said the suicide bomber had been targeting soldiers from Ethiopia and Djibouti who frequented the cafe. He gave a higher death toll, saying 25 people had been killed. |
A spokesman for the African Union, which has a peacekeeping force in Somalia to help local forces fight the Shabab, said that soldiers from Djibouti and Ethiopia did patrol the area of Beledweyne, though Ethiopian troops are not part of the peacekeeping mission. Four or five Ethiopian soldiers were among the dead, a Somali official said. | A spokesman for the African Union, which has a peacekeeping force in Somalia to help local forces fight the Shabab, said that soldiers from Djibouti and Ethiopia did patrol the area of Beledweyne, though Ethiopian troops are not part of the peacekeeping mission. Four or five Ethiopian soldiers were among the dead, a Somali official said. |
The attack on Saturday came four weeks after the Shabab laid siege to the Westgate mall in Nairobi, the capital of neighboring Kenya, which brought worldwide attention to the ferocious militant group. Inside Somalia, the Shabab has long posed a significant threat, carrying out large-scale attacks in Mogadishu at a United Nations compound, a court complex and a popular restaurant. | The attack on Saturday came four weeks after the Shabab laid siege to the Westgate mall in Nairobi, the capital of neighboring Kenya, which brought worldwide attention to the ferocious militant group. Inside Somalia, the Shabab has long posed a significant threat, carrying out large-scale attacks in Mogadishu at a United Nations compound, a court complex and a popular restaurant. |
In a statement, Somalia’s prime minister, Abdi Farah Shirdon, confirmed the attack, saying the bombing had killed “a number” of Somalis and calling Shabab fighters “brainwashed.” He did not give an exact death toll. | In a statement, Somalia’s prime minister, Abdi Farah Shirdon, confirmed the attack, saying the bombing had killed “a number” of Somalis and calling Shabab fighters “brainwashed.” He did not give an exact death toll. |
The Shabab rose to power as a nationalist movement resisting the United States-backed Ethiopian invasion of Somalia in 2006. The group grew to control large swaths of the country, including Mogadishu, but it has been beaten back in recent years by Somali troops and African Union forces. | The Shabab rose to power as a nationalist movement resisting the United States-backed Ethiopian invasion of Somalia in 2006. The group grew to control large swaths of the country, including Mogadishu, but it has been beaten back in recent years by Somali troops and African Union forces. |
The African Union contingent was able to dislodge the Shabab from key cities in Somalia, but the group has responded by focusing increasingly on asymmetric attacks. | The African Union contingent was able to dislodge the Shabab from key cities in Somalia, but the group has responded by focusing increasingly on asymmetric attacks. |
Mohammed Ibrahim contributed reporting from Mogadishu, Somalia. | Mohammed Ibrahim contributed reporting from Mogadishu, Somalia. |