Mogadishu - a city under attack

[rudy-Diiriye]

A remote controlled roadside bomb which aimed at government convoy wounded at least two civilians in north of the Somalia capital Mogadishu, witnesses told on Sunday – as bomb attacks on the interim government and foreign troops in the city have increased recent days.

 

The explosion happened as a military convoy carrying Somali government officials that was passing around Arafat hospital in Yaqshid neighborhood, north of the capital.

 

“The bomb exploded as the convoy trucks were passing there and it caused no casualty on the soldiers who opened fire on the area of the blast soon after,” one resident said.

 

The latest bomb attack has occurred hours after another bomb explosion was targeted on a convoy carrying Mogadishu mayor Mohamed Omar Habeb ‘Mohamed Dhere’ who escaped unharmed.

 

A convoy of Ethiopians fell victim to a roadside bomb in the Somalia capital Mogadishu on Monday as explosions against the government and its allies are increasing these days.

 

There were no immediate release of number of casualties. However, according to bystanders a civilian was shot dead by the Ethiopian soldiers after he refused to listen to soldiers’ orers.

 

“The bomb exploded as the last military truck of the convoy was passing near the compound of the former defense ministry in south of Mogadishu,” an eye witness told.

 

The explosion which rocked the area happened around 7:30 am local time.

 

Shortly after the blast, the Ethiopian forces cordoned the area and arrested one person. Searching for suspects continued.

 

Attacks on Ethiopian troops, African peace keepers and interim government officials have increased recently.

 

It is the first roadside bomb attack on the Ethiopians since the Islamists were dislodged.

 

a statement from the Oromo Liberation Front said several separate attacks had led to more than 150 soldiers killed.

 

Meanwhile, a source in Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa says there is high tension in the area since an attack on the Ethiopian army.

 

The same source says the remoteness of the location means it is unclear what is going on there.

 

The nationalist OLF springs from Ethiopia's largest ethnic group in the east while the other group, the ****** National Liberation Front (ONLF), is made up mostly of people of Somali origin fighting for a separate state from Ethiopia.