By Myriam Clerge
Impunity Watch Reporter, Eastern and Southern Africa

MOGADISHU, Somalia– Late Wednesday evening, a suicide bomber drove his pickup truck, filled with explosives, into the army base on the Somali transitional federal government in the town of Baidoa. According to witnesses, two Ethiopian soldiers were killed as well as the bomber himself. The intended targets of the attack were the mainly Ethiopian soldiers stationed at the base. Ethiopian and government soldiers have been battling with Islamist insurgents since the overthrow of the Islamic government in December. Thousands of soldiers and civilians have died due to the relentless violence.

Following the attack, a Mogadishu based private radio station, Radio Simba, broadcast an interview with Sheikh Mukhtar Robow, an Islamist insurgent claiming responsibility for the attack. Robow is believed to be the number two military official of the former Islamic government. He is also believed to be the leader of insurgents at the forefront of near-daily attacks. Security forces of the transitional army surrounded the building and arrested the manager of the radio station, Abdullahi Ali Farrah, and a newscaster, Mahamed Farah Talyani. The journalists were later released but the radio station was closed.

The tremendous blast from the explosion rocked a nearby hotel, shattering several windows. Although Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Ghedi was staying at the hotel, he was not presumed to be the target. The Prime Minister set up the hotel as a temporary headquarter for the parliamentary session. He was not injured by the bombing. Prime Minister Ghedi has been meeting with supporters in Baidoa regarding the issue to dissolve the government. President Abdullahi Yusuf argues that constitutionally the government’s current term ends this month since it was formed in 2004. However, Ghedi argues that it should end in October 2009 since the charter was signed in 2006. Twenty-two members of Parliament have threatened to resign unless a vote of confidence in the government is held. The government is weak and has failed to implement several agendas. President Yusuf wants to hold the voting this week and assemble a new government.

For more information, please see:

Reuters: Africa – Somali Radio Staff Detained after Islamist on Air – 11 October 2007

Yahoo News – Suicide Bomber Kills 2 in Somalia – 11 October 2007

AllAfrica.com – Somalia: Private Radio Station Close, Two of its Journalists Arrested – 11 October 2007

Reuters: Africa – Suicide Bomber Strikes Near Somali PM, Kills 2 – 10 October 2007