Mogadishu blast kills four Ugandan peacekeepers
Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 3:17 am
Mogadishu blast kills four Ugandan peacekeepers
May 16, 2007
OPERATION: A Ugandan AU peacekeeper checks an unexploded tank shell found during an explosives clearance operation in Mogadishu May 14. Four Ugandan AU peacekeepers were killed by a roadside blast in Mogadishu May 16.
(REUTERS)
MOGADISHU -- A roadside blast in northern Mogadishu killed four Ugandan African Union (AU) peacekeepers and wounded five others, their spokesman said Wednesday, revising an initial toll of five dead.
"Four of our soldiers were killed and five wounded by the blast, which took place at Aruba hotel area while on a duty mission," said captain Paddy Ankunda.
One soldier initially feared dead was found to be alive on arrival at hospital, he said, correcting an initial toll of five soldiers killed and three wounded.
"They [Ugandans] collected their bodies and the wounded people after getting reinforcement from other Ugandan troops stationed at the port," a senior Somali officer said. "The Somali government is investigating the matter."
A child was also killed in the attack, and another wounded, witnesses said. They had been playing football nearby.
The explosion occurred as a convoy of AU Ugandan peacekeeping troops was going past the destroyed Aruba Hotel in northern Mogadishu.
It was not immediately clear whether it was caused by a landmine or a roadside bomb.
Some 1,500 Ugandan peacekeepers are in Somalia as part of a planned 8,000 strong force that the AU is struggling to assemble.
Attacks on civilian targets have increased since Ethiopian-Somali troops ousted an Islamist movement from south and central Somalia at the start of the year.
The capital Mogadishu has seen clashes between Ethiopian-Somali forces and Islamist-led insurgents, killing hundreds of civilians in the past months.
Heavy fighting abated there after an Ethiopian offensive at the end of last month.
May 16, 2007
OPERATION: A Ugandan AU peacekeeper checks an unexploded tank shell found during an explosives clearance operation in Mogadishu May 14. Four Ugandan AU peacekeepers were killed by a roadside blast in Mogadishu May 16.
(REUTERS)
MOGADISHU -- A roadside blast in northern Mogadishu killed four Ugandan African Union (AU) peacekeepers and wounded five others, their spokesman said Wednesday, revising an initial toll of five dead.
"Four of our soldiers were killed and five wounded by the blast, which took place at Aruba hotel area while on a duty mission," said captain Paddy Ankunda.
One soldier initially feared dead was found to be alive on arrival at hospital, he said, correcting an initial toll of five soldiers killed and three wounded.
"They [Ugandans] collected their bodies and the wounded people after getting reinforcement from other Ugandan troops stationed at the port," a senior Somali officer said. "The Somali government is investigating the matter."
A child was also killed in the attack, and another wounded, witnesses said. They had been playing football nearby.
The explosion occurred as a convoy of AU Ugandan peacekeeping troops was going past the destroyed Aruba Hotel in northern Mogadishu.
It was not immediately clear whether it was caused by a landmine or a roadside bomb.
Some 1,500 Ugandan peacekeepers are in Somalia as part of a planned 8,000 strong force that the AU is struggling to assemble.
Attacks on civilian targets have increased since Ethiopian-Somali troops ousted an Islamist movement from south and central Somalia at the start of the year.
The capital Mogadishu has seen clashes between Ethiopian-Somali forces and Islamist-led insurgents, killing hundreds of civilians in the past months.
Heavy fighting abated there after an Ethiopian offensive at the end of last month.
