Islamist suicide bombers in explosives-laden cars with U.N. logos drove onto the main base of African Union peacekeepers Thursday and triggered two massive blasts that a witness reported killed at least 11 people, blew out windows and shrouded the sky in black smoke.
“I have counted the bodies of 11 people, Somalis and peacekeepers,” the witness said, requesting anonymity for fear of reprisals.
The AU said peacekeepers were wounded in the attack at Mogadishu’s airport, but did not elaborate. The African Medical and Research Foundation, which operates a flying doctors service, said the U.N. has asked for help evacuating 15 “critically injured” people.
An Islamist insurgent group claimed responsibility for the attack and said the targets were senior peacekeeping officials and Somali government officials who were meeting there. The attack came two days after al-Shabab vowed revenge for a U.S. commando raid that killed al-Qaida operative Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan in Somalia.
