Somali sports officials killed
Suicide strike claims Olympic, soccer leaders
MOGADISHU, SOMALIA— A suicide bomber detonated her explosives Wednesday at a ceremony at the national theatre, killing at least 10 people, including two of the country’s top sports officials.
The explosion at the reopened theatre happened as Somali Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali was at the podium to deliver a speech. The prime minister was unharmed, said Abdirahman Omar Osman, the government spokesman. The attack came as Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, was starting to resume a normal life after two decades of chaos and violence.
Fighters belonging to an Islamist group, al-shabab, were pushed out of the capital in August by African Union and government troops. The national theatre reopened for the first time in 20 years on March 19 with a concert featuring musicians playing guitars and drums. Wednesday’s ceremony was held to mark the first anniversary of the start of a national TV station.
The blast cut chairs in half, filled the room with smoke and splattered blood across the walls.
The president of Somalia’s Olympic committee and the president of its soccer federation were killed, according to Shafici Mohyadin, the federation’s secretary.
“It was a cowardly act and that will not deter the government from performing its national duties,” Osman said. “The prime minister will energize the government to eliminate the terrorists out of the country.”
Ali Muse, the head of Mogadishu’s ambulance service, said at least 10 people were killed and dozens injured.he said the wounded included the national planning minister.
“The blast happened as musicians were singing and spectators were clapping for them,” said Salah Ji- male, who was at the theatre but received only light scratches. “Huge smoke made the whole scene go dark. People screamed and soldiers suddenly started opening fire at the gate. Some wounded people escaped and ran away.” Shoes and blood-splattered cellphones lay on the floor. An injured man tried to sit up but collapsed and died as a reporter looked on. The International Olympic Committee issued a statement saying it was “shocked to hear of the terrorist attack that took the lives of the President of the Somali Olympic Committee Aden Yabarow Wiish and Somali Football Federation chief Said Mohamed Nur today in Mogadishu.” A period of relative peace had descended on Mogadishu after alShabab left, allowing sports leagues, restaurants and even a little night life to flourish. Despite those advances, al-shabab has continued to carry out suicide and roadside bomb attacks.