At least 28 people have died after suicide bombers attacked northern Somalia, jeopardizing the peace agreement reached between the Somali interim government and Islamist groups on Sunday. The parties had agreed to a ceasefire to be effective from November 5, 2008 ahead of withdrawal of Ethiopian troops.
The new wave of bombings is also likely to unsettle the meeting taking place in Nairobi, Kenya, between interim government leaders and regional leaders which was called to discuss, among other things, how to help to restore peace in Somalia.
The Iraq style attacks bore al Qaeda trade marks comprising five simultaneous blasts which killed 25 people in Hargeisa and three others in Bosasso. No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but recently insurgents have stepped up attacks on the interim government and Ethiopian troops demanding the withdrawal of the latter from Somalia and discouraging plans to send AU and UN peacekeepers to Somalia.
Already the AU have some 2,000 peacekeepers in Somalia from the required 8,000 but it appears member countries are reluctant to send their troops to Somalia as the peacekeepers have been frequently targeted by the insurgents.
The Ethiopian government has however blamed the attacks on terrorists, warning that they will not get away with it. “They will be brought to justice," Ethiopian Foreign Minister, Seyoum Mesfin, told the media.
Eye witnesses in Hargesia in Somaliland region have said that three bombers attacked the office of the President, the UNDP compound and the Ethiopian Embassy, citing a big explosion that sent people flying in the air and landing to their death.
In the semi autonomous region of Puntland , the suicide bombers blew up two cars loaded with explosives inside the Intelligence Service compound in Bosasso, killing two soldiers and a civilian. Several people including at least eight soldiers were also wounded.
Following the blast Puntland soldiers are now guarding all government institutions. This is the first time in recent months that Puntland and Somaliland have been subjected to such heavy attacks. The two semi-autonomous regions have been relatively peaceful and quiet compared to southern Somalia, where rebels have conducted frequent attacks on the interim government and Ethiopian troops as well as AU peacekeeper’s.
According UN and charity organizations the conflict in Somalia has killed nearly 10,000 civilians. About one million others have been displaced.
Subject: Suicide bombers kill 28 in Somaliland 
Sat Dec 13, 2008 6:02 pm
