-
13 killed and several wounded in suicide bombing in Somalia
The Arab News reported, citing Reuters, state television in Somalia said, at least 13 people were killed in the central Somali town of Beledweyne on Saturday.
The report said that a suicide bomber blew himself up in a restaurant that witnesses said was packed with local officials and politicians.
According to a report by SITE intelligence, which monitors the Al-Shabab militants groups online, the militant group claimed responsibility for the attack.
The hard-line group, which frequently attacks government targets and civilians, has unleashed two attacks in the past two weeks.
A further 18 people were injured in the Beledweyne attack, the Somali National Television said on Twitter.
One witness in Beledweyne said he helped to evacuate the injured after the mid-morning attack.
Aden Farah, a local elder, told Reuters: “I counted seven dead, including soldiers and civilians, and over ten injured.”
Police and government officials confirmed the restaurant attack was the result of a suicide bomb but did not give the number of casualties.
Residents said that one of those killed in the attack in Beledweyne was a candidate in an ongoing parliamentary election.
Al-Shabab militants attack police stations and security check points in Mogadishu
The parliamentary elections began on Nov. 1 and were initially supposed to end on Dec. 24, but are currently due to be completed on Feb. 25.
Under Somalia’s indirect electoral process, delegates, who include clan elders, pick members of the lower house, who will then choose a new president at a date yet to be fixed.
Weapons supplied by Iran to Houthi allies in Yemen smuggled into Somalia for Al Shabab insurgents
The recent attacks by Al-Shabab could present more problems for the election, which has been delayed by a year.
Al Qaeda-linked Al-Shabab aims to topple the central government and impose its own severe interpretation of Islamic law.
Source: arabnews
You May Also Like
Popular Posts
Caricature
NATO Secretary-General Ex...
- November 7, 2024
Amid growing anxiety among several European countries participating in NATO over Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential election, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte stated he looks forward to sitting down with Trump.
Upon arriving to participate in the summit of the European Political Community, which includes around forty heads of state in Budapest, he said, "I look forward to sitting with the elected U.S. president and seeing how we will collectively ensure we meet challenges, including the threats from Russia and North Korea." He also noted that the strengthening of ties between Russia and North Korea poses a threat to the United States as well, according to reports from Agence France-Presse.
Before Trump's victory, Rutte expressed confidence that a united Washington would remain part of the defensive alliance, even if Trump became the 47th president of the United States. In an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF last Monday night, he stated that both Republicans and Democrats understand that NATO serves not only the security of Europe but also that of America. He added that both candidates are aware that the security of the United States is closely tied to NATO.
On Wednesday, NATO congratulated Trump on his victory but did not address the Ukrainian issue.
It is noteworthy that the relationship between the elected U.S. president and the defense alliance was not the best during his first term in the White House. Trump criticized NATO member states multiple times and even hinted at withdrawing from the alliance unless they increased their financial contributions.
Additionally, the issue of the Russian-Ukrainian war is one of the matters that complicate relations between the two sides, especially since Trump has repeatedly stated that he can end this ongoing conflict, which began in 2022, quickly. He implied that he had a peace plan between Kyiv and Moscow, while his vice president, JD Vance, revealed aspects of that plan, which stipulated Ukraine's commitment not to join NATO, thereby sending reassuring signals to the Russians.
Furthermore, many NATO member states in Europe fear that Trump might halt military aid to Ukraine after he previously criticized the U.S. for pouring funds into supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
opinion
Report
ads
Newsletter
Subscribe to our mailing list to get the new updates!