Somalia: Al-Shabaab Attack Indefensible

press release

Nairobi — The bombing claimed by the militant Islamist group al-Shabaab in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, on October 4, 2011, is an indefensible attack on civilians, Human Rights Watch said today. The attack, along with an upsurge in fighting in the towns of Dhobley and Dhusamareb that left at least 11 civilians dead, highlights the price civilians are paying in the Somali conflict.

A car bomb exploded outside a compound housing several government ministries, including the Ministry of Education, at the strategic junction of Km4 (Kilometer 4) in Mogadishu. Between 69 and 82 people died, and at least 90 were wounded. Many of the casualties were students and their parents awaiting exam results. Ali Mohamed Raghe, the spokesperson for al-Shabaab, claimed responsibility for the attack, warned civilians to stay away from institutions of the ruling Transitional Federal Government, and threatened further attacks.

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