A heavy bomb exploded today in the port city of Bossaso

Somalia: Explosion Rocks Bossaso, Many Wounded

Garowe Online (Garowe)

27 December 2007
Posted to the web 27 December 2007

A heavy bomb exploded today in the port city of Bossaso, in northern Somalia's Puntland enclave, at a house where a group of elders and intellectuals were meeting privately, sources said.

At least seven civilians were wounded in the blast, which occurred Thursday evening.

Puntland police rushed to the scene and setup roadblocks across town, but no suspects have been apprehended so far, police said.

Sources at a hospital in Bossaso told Garowe Online that some of the wounded victims died from their injuries, but they could not provide exact casualty figures.

No group has claimed responsibility for the deadly explosion, which is the first of its kind in this bustling port city.


There was no information about the people meeting at the house or what was being discussed inside.

Bossaso is located 1500km north of the national capital, Mogadishu, where bombings and shootouts are common as insurgents continue their war against the interim government and its foreign military allies.

In recent weeks, Bossaso has been hit hard by a crime wave, including piracy and kidnappings, not to mention common thievery and violent nighttime attacks and robbery upon the city's unarmed civilians, according to residents.