Africa News

Seven dead in Mogadishu suicide bomb attack

Apr 4, 2012, 11:44 GMT

Mogadishu - A suicide bomber claimed seven lives on Wednesday, including the head of a Somali sports federation, at a gathering in Mogadishu, according to witnesses.

One witness told dpa a female bomber set off her bomb at an event marking the first anniversary of Somalia's National TV broadcaster at Mogadishu's National Theatre. Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali was in attendance.

'At least seven people, including the chairman of Somalia's football federation Said Mohamed Nur are dead, and other sports officials and journalists were injured,' local sports journalist Ayid Abdirahman, who was at the event, told dpa.

Senior government officials contacted refused to give details, saying they would release a statement shortly.

The reopening of the theatre last month after 20 years of closure was heralded as a sign of stability returning to Mogadishu as Islamist insurgent group al-Shabaab finds itself on the back foot.

Al-Shabaab has been battling to oust the internationally backed government since early 2007, but has lost ground under pressure from African Union, Kenyan and Ethiopian forces all backing pro-government troops.

The group saw itself pushed out of Mogadishu in August last year, but has since stepped up its campaign of bombings and assassinations.

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