Somalia - violence

Big blast targets peackeepers in Mogadishu

Article published on the 2009-09-17 Latest update 2009-09-17 13:47 TU

African Union soldiers on patrol in Moogadishu, July 2009.
(Photo: REUTERS/Feisal Omar)

Bomb explosions in a compound used by Ugandan peacekeepers in Somalia's capital Mogadishu on Thursday, killed at least two people, according to witnesses. Islamist Shebab rebels said they had carried out a double suicide attack on the army compound at the airport.

 

 

Nine peackeepers belonging to the African Union's Amisom contingent of Ugandan and Burundian soldiers, were killed in the attack said the Ugandan military. Witnesses said two vehicles with United Nations markings exploded in the attack.

One witness said one blast hit an area of the base where the eacekeeping force was providing medical services to locals. The troops, members of the African Union peacekeeping force, took up positions near the entrance to the base and fired into the air after the blast, according to another witness.

Hardline Islamist militants seeking to overthrow Somalia's transitional government have repeatedly targeted the 5,000-strong peacekeeping force, despite the government's overtures to the Islamists such as introducing Islamic Sharia law.