At least 16 killed, 30 injured in suicide bomber attack in SomaliaOctober 19, 2013 - 19:23 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - At least 16 people have been killed and more than 30 injured after a suicide bomber blew himself up in a crowded restaurant in the central Somali town of Beledweyne. The Islamist militant group al-Shabab has said it carried out the attack, according to BBC News. The Somali government, backed by troops from several African countries, is fighting al-Shabab for control of the country. Al-Shabab said its target was Ethiopian and Djiboutian soldiers in Beledweyne. The bombing occurred at a tea shop popular with the troops in Beledweyne, 300km (185 miles) north of the capital, Mogadishu, close to the border with Ethiopia. "Our main target was Ethiopian and Djibouti troops who invaded our country," Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab, al-Shabab's military operations spokesman, said. But witnesses, including a Somali MP in Beledweyne, Dahir Amin Jessow, have told the BBC that most of those killed were civilians. "There is a lack of medicine in the hospital and they can't cope with the flood of wounded patients, so we asked the central government to send us planes to evacuate patients," Jessow said. Al-Shabab militants have been driven out of Somalia's major towns, including Mogadishu and the key southern port of Kismayo, by a UN-mandated African Union force of some 18,000 soldiers. But the militants still control large parts of southern Somalia. Last month, the group claimed the attack on the Westgate shopping centre in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, in which 67 people died during a four-day siege. It said it staged the attack in response to Kenya's army carrying out operations on Somali territory. Related links: Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty. Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. Aliyev says no need for mediators in Armenia-Azerbaijan process Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that Baku and Yerevan do not mediators in the process of normalizing relations. Aram I supports Karekin II’s “patriotic position” Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I has expressed support for the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. |