SOMALIA - PUNTLAND AND SOMALILAND TERROR ATTACKS

UNCLAS NAIROBI 002519 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/E E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER PGOV PREL CASC PINSO SO SUBJECT: SOMALIA - PUNTLAND AND SOMALILAND TERROR ATTACKS REF: NAIROBI 2513 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: The final number of casulties from the October 29 suicide car bombs in northern Somalia's Somaliland and Puntland regions have not yet been confirmed. In Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland, reportedly three car bombs killed 29 and injured scores more. In Bossaso, Puntland's commercial capital and largest city, two car bombs killed two Puntland Intelligence Service officers, according to officials. To date, no organization has taken responsibility for the attacks. Post has received no reports of American citizen casualties. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) Three suicide car bombs were detonated in Hargeisa. One bomb reportedly exploded inside Somaliland President Dahir Rayale's compound, killing the president's personal secretary, security chief, a senator and three staff. At roughly the same time, a second suicide car bomb exploded at a security barrier just inside the United Nations Development Program (UNDP),killing two Somali staff. A third bomb exploded at the Ethiopian mission, killing three Ethiopian staff, 19 visa applicants and bystanders, and largely destroying the building. According to the Somaliland president's office, the British will airlift four critically injured government employees to a French hospital in Djibouti for treatment. UNDP staff have reportedly been evacuated from Somaliland. ¶3. (SBU) Two car bombers attacked two separate Puntland Intelligence Service buildings in Bossaso. Two Bossaso intelligence officers were killed and several wounded. ¶4. (SBU) The Somaliland Interior Minister told us they are agressively investigating the incident, and Somaliland's official website announced two arrests. The minister said the attackers came to Hargeisa from Mogadishu, and our contacts report rumors of mobs threatening revenge against the city's southern Somalis. Another contact reported Somaliland officials have identified two, or possibly three houses the bombers may have used. NGOs and aid organizations in Somaliland and Puntland tell us they are evacuating their international staff for fear of more terror attacks or vigilante violence. RANNEBERGER