Garowe Online (Garowe)
14 November 2007
A landmine detonation in northern Somalia on Wednesday killed at least 10 people, including two women, the regional governor has confirmed.
Hussein Abdi, governor of Togdheer region in the breakaway Somali sub-state of Somaliland, said a vehicle packed with civilians drove over the landmine and detonated.
Another 15 civilians were wounded in the fatal mine accident, sources said.
The passengers were heading towards Burao, capital of Togdheer region, before the deadly accident prematurely ended their trip.
Local officials in Burao said today's landmine explosion was the "deadliest in Togdheer region."
Thousands of landmines were planted in the Somaliland regions by armed forces loyal to former Somali dictator Gen. Mohamed Siad Barre in the late 1980s in response to growing rebel attacks.
De-mining efforts have been carried out by the Somaliland administration with assistance from international groups.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991, after Gen. Barre's central government in Mogadishu collapsed.
The region has been striving to gain international recognition ever since.
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