Recent Somalia bomb attacks blamed on militants
Apr 4, 2012, 3:42 PM
(AP) – A look at recent attacks claimed by or blamed on the al-Qaida-linked group known as al-Shabab:
_ April 4: An explosion at a ceremony at Somalia’s national theater kills at least 10 people including two top sports officials in an attack claimed by al-Shabab. The theater symbolized the city’s attempt to rise from two decades of war.
_ March 14: Militants claim responsibility for a suicide bombing inside Somalia’s main government compound that kills three people, including the bomber.
_ Feb. 8: A car bomb kills eight and wounds two members of parliament in Somalia’s capital in an attack claimed by al-Shabab.
_ Jan. 24: Militants claim responsibility for a truck bomb targeting an Ethiopian military base in the western Somali town of Beledweyne. Ethiopian officials did not confirm a death toll, but al-Shabab claimed that 33 Ethiopian troops were killed in the attack.
_ Dec. 6, 2011: A suicide bomber detonates a bomb-laden vehicle, killing four people. Somali police had just arrested the bomber but released him under orders that he disarm the explosives. Instead, the bomber was able to trigger the bomb.
_ Nov. 30, 2011: A suicide bomber dressed in a military uniform kills four soldiers after detonating his explosives at Somalia’s army headquarters. The chief of Somalia’s armed forces said he believed the bomber was targeting him for assassination as he was arriving for work.
_ Oct. 4, 2011: Militants detonate a truck bomb in front of the education ministry in Mogadishu, killing at least 70 people and wounding dozens. Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack.
_ June 10, 2011: An explosion kills Somalia’s interior minister at his home. Al-Shabab claimed responsibility, saying the minister was “an obstacle” to the group toppling Somalia’s struggling government.
_ Feb 21, 2011: A suicide bombing at a police station in Mogadishu kills at least eight people and wounds 35. Al-Shabab claimed responsibility.
_ Sept 9, 2010: A car bomb outside the gates of Mogadishu’s airport kills at least nine people. Al-Shabab claimed responsibility and said the attack was aimed at a high-level meeting of U.N., African Union and Somali officials at the airport.
_ August 24, 2010: An attack on a hotel in Mogadishu kills 32 people, including several parliamentarians. Gunmen in Somali military uniforms accompanied a suicide bomber on the attack. Al-Shabab claimed responsibility.
_ July 11, 2010: A double suicide bombing in Uganda’s capital kills 76 people watching the World Cup final on television. Al-Shabab claimed responsibility and said it was retaliation for Ugandan peacekeepers’ presence in Somalia.
_ May 1, 2010: Two explosions inside a small mosque in Mogadishu’s main market kill at least 30 people. Al-Shabab officials did not claim responsibility and blamed “foreign security companies,” but offered no proof.
_ Dec. 3, 2009: A suicide bombing at a university graduation ceremony in Mogadishu kills 24 people, including three government ministers, medical students and doctors. The government blamed al-Shabab, but the group denied responsibility.
_ Sept. 17, 2009: A double suicide bombing at an African Union peacekeeping base in Mogadishu kills 21 people, mostly peacekeepers. Al-Shabab said the bombing was in retaliation for a U.S. raid days earlier that killed an al-Qaida operative in southern Somalia.
_ June 18, 2009: A suicide attack in Somalia’s west kills the national security minister and at least 24 others. Al-Shabab claimed responsibility.
_ Feb. 22, 2009: A suicide attack on an African Union peacekeeping base in the capital kills 11 Burundian soldiers. Al-Shabab claimed responsibility.
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