Mogadishu shocked as bombing kills more than 70 including students
Updated
Al-Shabaab launched a Suicide bombing in Mogadishu that killed more than seventy peoiple and injured scores of others. A truck packed with explosives was driven into a government compound, blasting debris for hundreds of metres. Many of the dead were students sitting scholarship exams.
Source: AM | Duration: 2min 55sec
TONY EASTLEY: There were celebrations two months ago when the Islamic militant group Al-Shabaab withdrew from Somalia's capital Mogadishu.
But they're back in a new deadly form, launching a bombing in the city that has killed more than 70 people and injured scores of others.
A truck packed with explosives was driven into a government compound, blasting debris for hundreds of metres.
Many of the dead were students sitting scholarship exams.
The suicide attack took place not far from the offices of local aid agency SAACID which was damaged in the blast.
Africa correspondent Ginny Stein is speaking with the agency's head of operations Tony Burns.
TONY BURNS: They have indicated publicly since the bomb going off that they were responsible for the attack.
The attack was targeted against students that were sitting an exam to take up scholarships that were offered by the Turkish government.
A large number of casualties have been involved.
GINNY STEIN: It was a massive bomb blast.
TONY BURNS: The biggest that Mogadishu has seen within- for at least four years.
GINNY STEIN: So targeting of students, it seems that Al-Shabaab has no qualms?
TONY BURNS: Shabaab has shown a high level of ruthlessness in the past. This is considered to be a TFG-conducted activity linked to the Turkish government.
GINNY STEIN: So that's linking to the Transitional Federal Government to the interim government that's in place in Somalia?
TONY BURNS: Correct, yes.
GINNY STEIN: Al-Shabaab, you're saying, has made some indication or has claimed that they were responsible?
TONY BURNS: Yes, that's correct, yes. Within 30 minutes of the bomb they'd claimed responsibility.
GINNY STEIN: How did they do that?
TONY BURNS: They just, just through radio stations they announced that they had conducted it. They basically gave a public statement through the radio.
They indicated that they were going to reorganise and conduct a terror campaign, assassinations, IEDs (Improvised Explosive Device), suicide bombs and bombs and this is part of this reorganisation.
GINNY STEIN: Now you've obviously- you've worked there many years and you have close links to people in the community. I mean, what's been the reaction to this?
TONY BURNS: Absolute horror. Abject disgust from the population that they can again target students.
A couple of years ago they targeted students at a medical graduation and this is just a follow-on to that.
In Somali culture it's just completely unacceptable but again, highlights the level of ruthlessness within Shabaab at this point in time.
GINNY STEIN: What will it mean for the aid effort? What will it mean for the way that you operate inside Somalia?
TONY BURNS: The aid effort hasn't been that great inside Somalia at this point. The level of funding is still significantly short of what's required.
It will continue. It has no choice but to continue even within these adverse circumstances.
TONY EASTLEY: Tony Burns from the aid agency SAACID speaking to Ginny Stein.
==================================================
abc.net.au/news/2011-10-05/mogadishu-shocked-as-bombing-kills-more-than-70/3299138?section=world
No comments:
Post a Comment