Fikirka Xorta ah - Three coordinated suicide attacks were carried out by what officials believed to be the Al Shabaab Ismalist militants fighting in Somalia on Wednesday, October 29, 2008 in Hargeisa, the capital city of Somaliland.
It is reported that 22 people have died and dozens of others were wounded when three SUV vehicles filled with explosives driven forcefully in to the gates of UNDP Head Quarters, Ethiopian Diplomatic Compound and the Presidential Palace.
The attack has shaken the peaceful and stable Hargeisa and the rest of the Somaliland. The government had automatically deployed thousands of security personnel and President Rayale urged citizens to cooperate with the government to catch the perpetrators and asked everyone to be vigilant.
Massive man hunt were carried out and several individuals were arrested within hours of the attack. The Minister of Interior Mr. Iro confirmed the arrest of at least 5 people and refused to elaborate because of an "on going investigation".
After this horrible attack, the world and the country reacted in many different ways.
Governments around the world have condemned while expressing their concern about the regional impact and sent condolences to the people of Somaliland.
Many news articles about the incident were reported around the globe and here are some of the reactions:
Simon Roughneen of ISN (International Relations and Security and Network) described the reason of the attack to be to destabilize this peaceful corner in a troubled regions.
He wrote; Recent terror attacks ..... could be designed to destabilize..., dragging it into Somalia's brutal quagmire.
Somaliland veteran journalist living in middle east wrote an article on Media Line, an online media based in New York, USA, "Bombs Won't Subdue Resolve of Africa’s Cinderella", he wrote. Mr. Goth argued that Somaliland has survived from worst and will indeed do the same and recover from this ordeal.
Mr. Goth wrote, "Eighteen long years and Somaliland has been the beacon of hope in a turbulent region. Eighteen years during which Somaliland has written a success story of peace, stability, democratization and building of government institutions. Eighteen years of looking into the abyss but skirting all terrorist threats with its wisdom and community cohesion. Eighteen years of sending a May Day call after May Day call to the international community for help and support that went mainly unheeded to the detriment of regional stability and global security."
http://www.themedialine.org/news/news_detail.asp?NewsID=23188
We couldn't agree more. Somaliland citizens are expected to safeguard their hard earned safety and security by working with law enforcement officers.
Like wise Somaliland Diaspora communities condemn the attack by sending various written statements to the media. Here is one published in Awdalnews.com:
Somaliland organizations in diaspora condemn the terrorist attacks in Somaliland
"We, the Somaliland Organizations in the Diaspora, are dismayed by the terrorist attacks in Somaliland, and we would like to express our deepest sympathies to the families of the victims and to the people of Somaliland in general. We join with all those who clearly condemn this utterly deplorable act of aggression and terror committed against the people of Somaliland. It is heartbreaking that people of Somaliland again become a victim of terrorists. We all know Somaliland have long been trying to heal itself from the indiscriminate killings of its people by Siad Barre regime. These actions are not associated with Islam or the decency of human being. Nothing can justify the indiscriminate killings of an innocent human being."
http://www.awdalnews.com/wmview.php?ArtID=10750
Well, It took me for a while to react to this news, but I'm worried for what Dr.Mohamad Fadal of Institute of Social Research and Development based in Hargeisa calls it, "..the bad omen is that it is not over..."
Dr. Fadal says that it is hard for common people to understand why they are attacked. And he predicts that this incident could be the beginning of a serious attacks that the group responsible for this one will carry out to flex their muscle and show what they could do.
This is scary; Hargeisa daily newspapers are reporting that some high ranking government and non governmental agencies officials have already gotten phone calls from what the national police suspects to be terrorist cells plotting to mastermind more attacks withing Somaliland borders.
However vigilant the people and government try to be, it is hard to pin point or identify all terror cells in Somaliland. Thus, more attacks are expected or at least feared!
Let us hope that Somaliland Intelligence Services are better equipped to prevent more attacks and have the resources to safe the people from future mayhem!!!
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