Bosaso, 23 Jul 2009 (Somalilandpress) — At least twelve people were hurt, one of them in serious condition, in a bomb blast that tore through a private establishment in the Somali port city of Bosaso on Wednesday evening.
The explosion which rocked the city, occurred in a private restaurant situated in the city center near Hotel Karama, one of the busiest areas of the city.
An eye witness in the area said the bomb was detonated shortly after police patrols arrived in the area, it is not clear yet if it was intended to target the police. The police responded with gunfire, wounding a number of civilians.
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Locals reported that police were still trying to interview witnesses to determine the motive behind the blast and were still conducting post-blast investigation on the site.
No group has claimed responsibility and it might be days before police determines the perpetrators behind the explosion.
The casualties were immediately taken to Bosaso’s central hospital where most of them were been treated for minor shrapnel injuries.
Bosaso is the commercial town of Puntland in the northeast region of Somalia and is no stranger to terrorism, in Ocotober last year; two car bombs were detonated at separate interior ministry offices killing six.
Puntland, which has been relatively peaceful compared to the south of the country, is more known for its pirates than terrorism.
Source: Somalilandpress