Three car-bomb suicide attacks targeted the government office, the United Nations compound as well as the Ethiopian embassy in Hergeisa, Somaliland. In the semi-independent region of Puntland,, two other attacks targeted a building of the intelligence services in the city of Bossasso.
No one has claimed responsibility for these attacks perpetrated while the heads of the Somalian Transitional Federal Government (TFG) were meeting with Heads of State of the countries of the region in Nairobi (Kenya). The deadly attacks were conducted in spite of the recent peace agreement signed on October 26 in Djibouti, between the TFG and the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS). The islamic group called Al-Shabab has firmly rejected this agreement.
FIDH recalls that the fighting in Somalia between the troops of the TFG, backed by the Ethiopian army, and the insurgent forces, are perpetrated in violation of the international humanitarian law. Indiscriminate shootings and bombings provoke daily numerous civilian causalities. 1,3 million people have been forced to displacement to flee the fighting. Humanitarian workers are more and more targeted by the fighters while kidnappings for ransom have increased. Journalists are also primary targets of armed attacks.
FIDH calls on the Peace and Security Council of the African Union to immediately consider this situation.