Massive explosion sparks exodus from Somali town , Kenya Denies Involvement

[xiinfaniin]

 

 

 

Clar Ni Chonghaile in Nairobi

Monday, November 14, 2011

 

Scores of people have fled the Somali town of Afgoye after a massive explosion which al-Shabaab insurgents said was caused by a missile strike on one of their bases.

 

Military officials said they were trying to find out what caused the blast on Sunday night. Al-Shabaab, which is linked to al-Qaida and controls large sections of central and south Somalia, is fighting African Union peacekeepers, Somali government forces and Kenyan troops, while foreign warships are also active offshore, battling pirate gangs.

 

At least two regional news agencies reported that senior al-Shabaab commanders had been killed in the explosion, although it was not immediately possible to confirm this.

 

Some residents of Afgoye said there had been a flurry of insurgent activity in the area on Sunday amid rumours that rebel commanders were meeting.

 

"I am sure there was a meeting going on in the base near the orphanage. Armoured cars and expensive 4x4s were buzzing around," Afgoye resident Osman Odowa told Reuters.

 

"One of the missiles struck right around there," Odowa said.

 

Mogadishu-based media company Suna Times said on its website that al-Shabaab leaders were killed in what it described as an air strike by a US drone on Afgoye.

 

A US source said the United States was not involved.

 

A senior al-Shabaab official said two missiles were launched from warships offshore.

 

"Enemy warships in the Indian Ocean fired two missiles at us," the official told Reuters. There were no casualties, he said. It was not possible to verify his account.

 

The Kenyan army, which has deployed thousands of troops inside Somalia, said it did not attack Afgoye, 12 miles (19km) from the capital Mogadishu.

 

"Yes, there was an explosion but it was not carried out by Kenyans," said spokesman Major Emmanuel Chirchir. He did not have information on any casualties.

 

Kenya blames Islamist al-Shabaab rebels for a series of kidnappings and cross-border raids that threaten to damage east Africa's largest economy. Al-Shabaab has denied involvement in the kidnappings but has threatened to attack Kenya in retaliation for the incursion.

 

Two weeks ago Kenya warned it would launch air strikes on 10 Somali towns where al-Shabaab has bases, including Afgoye.

 

Lieutenant Colonel Paddy Ankunda, a spokesman for the 9,000-strong African Union (Amisom) peacekeeping mission in Mogadishu, said he was seeking confirmation of what had happened in Afgoye.

 

"We don't know if it was a premature blast inside the al-Shabaab or an air strike. We are still trying to gather information."

 

Amisom troops support Somalia's transitional federal government, which is backed by the international community but has failed to extend its reach beyond the capital.

 

One of the scores of people fleeing Afgoye on Monday was mother-of-five Samira Farah, who was heading to Mogadishu. She said there was a column of minibuses laden with mattresses behind her.

 

"Who dares to stay in a place which is a target of planes and warships?" she said.

 

Some people in the area between Afgoye and Mogadishu said they had seen a bright light streaking through the sky before the explosion on Sunday night.

 

Source: Guardian

[xiinfaniin]

Gantaalo ku dhacay degmada Afgooye iyo deegaanno kale oo ka tirsan Gobolka Shabeellada Hoose

 

Isniin, November 14, 2011 (HOL) — Qaraxyo waaweyn ayaa xalay laga maqlay degmada Afgooye iyo deegaanno kale oo ka tirsan gobolka Shabeellada hoose oo ay ka taliso Xarakada Al-shabaab, iyadoo aan la ogeyn khasaaraha rasmiga ah ee ka dhashay duqeymahaas.

 

Goobjoogayaal ku sugan degmada Afgooye ayaa HOL u sheegay inay arkeen iftiin aad u weyn kadibna ay maqleen jug weyn, sidoo kalena ay daqiiqado kaddib maqleen qaraxyo kale oo ka dhacay meelo ka fog degmada.

 

"Iftiin ayaa magaalada oo dhan qariyay, kaddibna waxaan maqalnay jug weyn oo ka dhacday galbeedka magaalada, ma garanayno khasaaraha dhashay, balse cabsi weyn ayay arrintan nagu beertay," ayuu yiri C/risaaq Ciise oo ka mid ah dadka daggan degmada Afgooye ee gobolka Shabeellada hoose.

 

Sidoo kale, goobjoogayaal ku sugan deegaannada loo barakacay ee duleedka Muqdisho ayaa iyaguna sheegay inuu dushooda maray wax weyn oo iftiin badan wata, kaddibna ay maqleen jug culus.

 

Gantaallo kale ayaa ku dhacay deegaannada Muuri, Laanta-buuro iyo KM-50 oo ka tirsan gobolka Shabeellada hoose, iyadoo la sheegay in goobaha madaafiicdu ku dhacday ay ku yaallaan saldhigyo iyo xeryo ciidan oo ay Al-shabaab leedahay.

 

Inkastoo aan khasaaraha la ogeyn haddana saraakiil u hadlay Al-shabaab ayaa u sheegay warbaahinta qaarkeed inay wadaan baaritaanno ku saaban gantaallada ku dhacay deegaannada ka tirsan Shabeellada hoose wixii soo baxana ay shacabka la socodsiin doonaan.

 

Wararka qaar ayaa waxay sheegayaan in saraakiil ka tirsan Al-shabaab ay shir ku lahaayeen degmada Afgooye markii uu qaraxu dhacayay, iyadoo dadka degmadu ay sheegeen in saraakiil ka tirsan Al-shabaab ay ku boorriyeen inay is-dajiyaan oo ay guryahooda ku laabtaan.

 

Ma jirto cid sheegatay inay duqeyntan ka dambeysay, balse degmada Afgooye ayaa waxay ka mid ahayd 10-degmo oo ay dowladda Kenya ay sheegtay inay duqeynayso.

 

Maxamed Xaaji Xuseen, Hiiraan Online

maxuseen@hiiraan.com

Muqdisho, Soomaaliya

[Qandalawi]

Kenya is unable to cause such large scale explosion, I think its the US bombers targeting Godane and Alshabaab leaders.

[xiinfaniin]

^^I agree, Qandal. This looks like typical anti terror operation Americans has been doing around that area for a while now.

[Mintid Farayar]

More likely the French warships directly off that coast currently. That's if the reports of the streaking missile across the water reportedly seen by residents is true.

 

But on the other hand, it's hard to know what to believe. All the wire services report from Nairobi(none on the ground in Somalia) and claim to be interviewing a local in 'Village Heblaayo-Hebel'. How did they get in touch with that village local, how do they verify they truly are speaking to that individual rather than a propagandist who wishes to convey a particular viewpoint to the world? How is it that we hear of Al Shabaab controlling every aspect of villagers lives with draconian methods yet not able to control these same villagers communicating with Western news organizations? Somethings don't add up. I wonder as to the accuracy of some of these wire stories.

[Somalia]

I concur with you gentlemen, it was La Fayette Warship which is there as part of the Task Force 150 I believe, it used the SLAM system, yes, I am serious, it's called SLAM. wtf