Blog 7 Attack in Somilia kills at least a dozen

Blog 7: Attack At Somali cafe kills more than a dozen

     Over a dozen people, counting at least four Ethiopian soldiers were killed Saturday in a suicide attack on a cafe in western Somalia, near the border of Ethiopia.  The militant Somali Islamist group, Al-Shabab claimed full responsibility for the massacre.

     According to the New York Times, the attacker was "strapped with explosives and blew himself up at around 11:00am (New York Times) ".  A police commander in Beledweyne spoke to local reporters and stated that 15 people were killed in the attack. As stated above, Al-Shabab claimed responsibility.    

         Kenya remains a safe place to visit despite an attack on a Nairobi shopping mall over the weekend in which at least a dozen plus people, including foreigners, died, the country's tourism minister said Monday .

The siege by suspected Islamist militants at the upscale Westgate Mall represents another potential blow to tourism in Kenya, whose tourist numbers have increased in recent years but which has also suffered a series of violent incidents affecting foreigners (News& Observer).

The mall, normally a calm refuge in an often turbulent city, is itself a tourist draw in the Kenyan capital, and suspected Islamist militants may have targeted it partly for that reason. On the contrary, the FCO says that foreigners are not usually targeted, however, they should still be cautious and not carry around large amounts of cash or wear flashy jewelery.

Erica Warren

10/25/13

 11PM

The New York Times

 Kron, J. (2013,October 19). Blast in Somalia kills at least 15  New York Times, p. 1. Retrieved October 25, 2013, from http://www.nytimes.com.

The News & Observer. (2013, October 25) Attack at Somali cafe kills more than a dozen The News & Observer, p.3A