Mogadishu, (insidesomalia.org)-Ugandan peacekeepers on Thursday escaped a roadside bomb explosion near their fleet in the Somali capital Mogadishu, witnesses said.

The bomb exploded moments after the convoy had passed on its way to the heavily fortified international airport in southern Mogadishu.

"I saw three African Union peacekeepers' shatterproof vehicles pass through the area before the explosion occurred," said Farah Elmi beverage seller.

He also added that he has not seen any causality with his naked eyes

At least 2,300 AU peacekeepers -- 1,600 Ugandans and 700 Burundians -- have been deployed in the capital Mogadishu to bolster the country's feeble transitional government.

The African body has so far failed to reach its target of 8,000 peacekeeping troops since the deployment began in March last year.

Early last month, a Burundian peacekeeper died after a suicide car bomber smashed into an army camp in southern Mogadishu.

The Islamist militant group Shabab has previously claimed responsibility for the attacks on the peacekeepers as well as on Somali and Ethiopian forces.

Ethiopia-backed Somali forces ousted the Islamists from southern Somalia early last year.

The Mogadishu attack came after Islamist leaders Moalim Aden Hashi Ayro and Sheikh Muhyadin Omar and eight others were killed in central Somalia in an airstrike, which insurgents blamed, on the US military.

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Write comment

Name

Email

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (Registered users only)

I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.

Add Comment