UPDATE ON Al-Shabab claims deadly Mogadishu blast. Bomb attack outside government compound in Somali capital leaves at least 70 people dead and many others wounded.
The death toll in the terror attack Somalia's capital Mogadishu on Tuesday is expected to soar to nearly ... More 100 people
At least 100 people were killed in Somalia's capital Mogadishu on Tuesday when a suicide truck bomb exploded outside a compound housing several government ministries.Responsibility for the attack, one of the most devastating in the city to date, was claimed by the Islamist militant group al-Shabaab. A bomb in a second vehicle reportedly failed to detonate.Just two months ago the al-Qaida-linked group announced its withdrawal from Mogadishu, following an offensive by government troops and African Union forces to retake the city as famine spread throughout the country.The bomber detonated a truckload of explosives at a security checkpoint outside a compound housing four ministries, including the Ministries of Education and External Relations.A second truck laden with explosives failed to go off and its current whereabouts is still being determined, Lieutenant Colonel Paddy Ankunda, a spokesman for the African Union peacekeeping force, told The Daily Telegraph.Ali Muse, the head of Mogadishu's ambulance services, told The Daily Telegraph on Tuesday night that the death toll had reached 100.Blackened bodies lay strewn across the streets at the heart of the government district in the K4 area of the capital. According to a government statement, many of the dead were students and parents who were waiting at the Ministry of Education for the results of applications for scholarships to study in Turkey.The Daily Telegraph counted more than 35 bodies at the blast site, including those of students, government soldiers and civilians. An unidentified minister was reportedly severely injured in the blast.Many people were trapped in the rubble after buildings collapsed and a rescue team was working to bring out survivors. Scores of wounded were transferred to Mogadishu's two main hospitals, Banadir and Medina. The explosion damaged houses nearly a mile away.Sheikh Ali Mohamed Rage, a spokesman for al-Shabaab, told the BBC that the group had carried out the attack, a claim repeated on a website that it regularly uses. A spokesman later warned civilians to stay away from government buildings and military bases because they were planning more attacks.Despite the insurgents' withdrawal from Mogadishu, security officials in the capital had been expecting an upsurge in guerrilla attacks as al-Shabaab shifted its tactics."We knew that they were planning something horrible, especially asymmetric violence such as suicide bombing," said Lt-Col Ankunda. "We need to be more vigilant and encourage the government to improve its policing."Rashid Abid, a Somalia analyst for the think-tank International Crisis Group, said: "They are sending a strong message: those who thought the movement was weakened will have to reconsider."
The attack - which has been strongly condemned by the United Nations - is also likely to complicate the delivery of humanitarian assistance to famine victims in the capital and surrounding areas. Al-Shabaab's withdrawal from Mogadishu - and an apparent willingness to allow aid into al-Shabaab-controlled areas - encouraged many international agencies to return to Mogadishu after a prolonged absence due to security concerns. But an attack of this scale will prompt many to reconsider.
"This is bad news for humanitarian operations. Many agencies were planning to relocate to Mogadishu, but this attack will inhibit their ability to supply those affected," added Mr Abdi.
In early September the United Nations warned that - without urgent help - 750,000 people were at risk of death from starvation in Somalia before the end of the year.
Al-Shabaab launched its insurgency against the Western-backed Transitional Federal Government in late 2006 and claimed affiliation with al-Qaida in 2007. The organization is believed to include foreign fighters who fought in Afghanistan and Iraq and have helped to train Somali militants in tactics such as suicide bombing and assassinations. Terror free somalia /
AFP
up date from ..Top somali jihadist website promotes attacks
. According to the websiteAl-Shabab spokesman Ali Mohamed Rage said the suicide bomber behind Tuesday's attack was Bashar Abdullahi Nur and congratulated him
. According to jihadist website Interview with the Bashar Abdullahi Nur
Al-Shabaab claimed that a single bomber, Interview with the Bashar Abdullahi Nur, was responsible for the attack.
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