Somalia/Piracy

Mortar fire on Mogadishu airport as US politician flies out

Article published on the 2009-04-13 Latest update 2009-04-13 14:56 TU

The U.S.-flagged container ship, Maersk Alabama at the Kenyan coastal sea port of Mombasa, 13 April, 2009.
REUTERS/Antony Njuguna

Mortar fire hit Mogadishu airport when a United States congressman, Donald Payne, was leaving after a brief visit and a meeting with Somalia's president Sharif Shekh Ahmed, according to an unnamed African Union official.

An African Union official, on condition of anonymity, told AFP that, "There were no casualties, but the attack was aimed at the congressman. He flew out safely." Payne, congressman from New Jersey and a member of the foreign affairs committee.

Payne had arrived in Mogadishu hours earlier for talks with President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and his prime minister on rampant piracy off the country's coast.

His visit came the day after US forces shot dead three of four Somali pirates who had been holding an American captain, Richard Phillips, hostage for five days in the Indian Ocean.

A Somali pirate chief earlier Monday threatened to target Americans in revenge for the rescue of the cargo-ship capitain, and the killing of the pirates who had been holding him in a lifeboat. The pirates said they had agreed to let the capitain go without ransom.

Phillips said he was in good condition 

US officials had engaged in a hostage negotiation process with a pirate before the situation reportedly grew heated.

A Somali government spokesman, Abdulkadir Walayo told AFP that he hailed the operation.