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Somali Witnesses Say Car Bomb Attack on Airport Kills 8

   VOA News 09 September 2010
   A Somali government soldier looks at a car laden with explosives which
   targeted Mogadishu airport, 09 Sep 2010

Photo: AFP

   A Somali government soldier looks at a car laden with explosives which
   targeted Mogadishu airport, 09 Sep 2010

   Witnesses  in Somalia say a car bomb has exploded at the main entrance
   to Mogadishu's airport, killing at least eight people.
   The  African  Union  peacekeeping  force says two of its soldiers were
   among those killed in the attack.
   Witnesses  say  the  car exploded Thursday at the AU peacekeeping post
   outside  the airport. They say a second vehicle full of militants then
   opened fire at AU peacekeepers and Somali security forces.
   Reports  say  Somali  President  Sharif  Sheikh  Ahmed had been at the
   Mogadishu  airport  earlier  Thursday. It is not clear if he was still
   there during the attack.
   Somali  insurgent  group al-Shabab recently declared a new, stepped-up
   campaign to overthrow Somalia's government and impose a strict form of
   Islamic  law  in  the  country.   Last month, the militants stormed a
   Mogadishu   hotel  frequented  by  lawmakers  and  killed  33  people,
   including four parliamentarians.
   In  July,  the  group  carried  out twin bombings in Uganda's capital,
   Kampala,  that  killed  76  people.   Al-Shabab said the attacks were
   retaliation for Uganda's participation in the AU peacekeeping force.
   Somalia's  transitional  government  controls  only  small sections of
   Mogadishu,  with  the help of the AU peacekeepers.  Islamic militants
   control  most  of  the capital and large parts of southern and central
   Somalia.
   Last  week,  the  African  Union  expressed confidence that government
   troops and AU peacekeepers are gaining the upper hand over al-Shabab.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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