MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) – More than a dozen gunmen attacked two police bases in Mogadishu early Wednesday with rocket-propelled grenades, sparking fire fights that killed at least two people, witnesses and police said.
The attacks came just hours after a land mine exploded Tuesday night, prompting another gunbattle that witnesses said killed eight people.
A government spokesman said he had heard about the civilian deaths but he declined to comment.
Insurgents, along with clan militiamen, have been battling government and allied Ethiopian forces since they drove an Islamic movement, known as the Council of Islamic Courts, from Mogadishu six months ago. More than 1,000 civilians have been killed and hundreds of thousands have been displaced.
Wednesday’s attacks started around midnight in southern Mogadishu’s Tribunka Square.
“About 15 men armed with rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns fired RPGs at the base before a heavy exchange of gunfire,” said Gacal Yusuf, a night watchman at a nearby house.
Regional police commissioner Ali Said said a police officer was killed in the attack.
The second attack was around the same time in northern Mogadishu, and a civilian was killed, police said.
“They attacked us and we fended them off,” police officer Mohamed Omar said. “A civilian was caught in the crossfire.”
Tuesday’s land mine attack was believed to have targeted an Ethiopian convoy, police and witnesses said.
Abdishakur Abdi Rahman, who was driving a bus that was passing as the blast went off, said the Ethiopians opened fire on his vehicle after the blast.
“The explosion occurred as the Ethiopians were passing us, then they opened fire on us,” he said. “Two passengers were killed and my conductor was wounded.”
Haji Mohamud Igaal told the AP that his three teenage relatives and three others also were killed.
The account could not be confirmed. The Woyanne troops do not talk to the press.
Somali government spokesman Abdi Haji Goobdoon said: “I heard about the land mine targeting the Ethiopians and the civilian casualties but I cannot comment.”
Witnesses in Somalia’s capital say Ethiopian [Woyanne] troops shot and killed at least eight people late Tuesday, following a roadside bomb attack.
The witnesses say the bomb hit a [Woyanne] military convoy, damaging a truck and causing an unknown number of casualties.
They say after the blast, [Woyanne] troops opened fire on a minibus, killing two passengers, and shot several youths in the area, including three brothers.
Attacks on Somali government officials and their [Woyanne] allies have increased in recent weeks despite a government claim of victory over Islamist insurgents in late April.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.
OREM, Utah (AP, June 20th, 2007) — An Ethiopian immigrant apparently fascinated with death and shooting U.S. soldiers now faces felony charges for gun violations.
20-year-old Kidus Chane Yohannes was a student at Utah Valley State College. He was charged yesterday in 4th District Court with five third-degree felony charges including falsifying information for a background check to buy a handgun.
He was arrested earlier this month after officers discovered he used false resident alien numbers to buy firearms seized from his apartment and car.
Yohannes came to Utah under a State Department asylum program several years ago.
He graduated from Provo High School in May 2006 and was admitted to Utah Valley State College during the summer of 2006 as a Utah resident.
His roommates at UVSC told police he was quiet and watched a lot of violent videos on the internet. They say they heard him talk about planning to be involved in a mass shooting.
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church’s (EOTC) Holy Synod has called on the people of Ethiopia to stay away from any millennium celebration unless the elected leaders of Ethiopia are released from prison.
The Holy Synod warned the Woyanne regime that its decision to harm and do injustice against the elected representatives of the people of Ethiopia will have grave consequences.
ER obtained this email regarding postponement of the planned events at the Woyanne embassy in Washington DC
From: The Whitaker Group, [email protected]
Date: Jun 19, 2007 1:11 PM
Subject: Postponement of Ethiopia and Starbucks Events – June 20, 2007 events
To: x
This is to inform you that the press event at the Ethiopian Embassy as well as the reception at the Ambassador’s residence, which were scheduled for this Wednesday, 20th June 2007, are postponed until later this summer due to scheduling difficulties.
The Embassy, along with the Whitaker Group, would like to express sincere apologies for any inconvenience. We will keep you informed of any upcoming events.
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
Public Statement, June 19, 2007
An Ethiopian court on 11 June convicted 38 defendants part-way through the long-running trial of leaders of the opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) party, journalists and civil society activists. The 38 had refused to submit a defence, as they considered they would not receive a fair trial. Following the completion of the prosecution case, the judges declared the 38 “guilty as charged,” as well as five people abroad who were tried in their absence, and three publishing companies. The trial continues for nine defendants who will submit their defence.
The 38 were convicted of political offences which carry a possible death penalty or long prison terms. The prosecution is due to propose sentences on 9 July but no date has been given for the judges’ subsequent sentencing.
All were convicted of “outrages against the constitution”, some for “obstruction of the constitutional process” and “impairing the defensive power of the state”, and five for “inciting, organising or leading armed rebellion”.
Those convicted, in prison for 18 months already, include Professor Mesfin Woldemariam, aged 76, founder and former president of the Ethiopian Human Rights Council; Dr Berhanu Negga, elected Mayor of Addis Ababa and an economics professor; Dr Yakob Hailemariam, law professor and former UN prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda; Ms Birtukan Mideksa, a former judge; and Andualem Ayele, editor of Etiop newspaper. They are among others on trial whom Amnesty International considers to be prisoners of conscience, imprisoned on account of peacefully exercising their legitimate rights to freedom of expression and association.
The trial continues for nine other defendants and a publishing company facing similar charges, who are due to present their defence on 12 July. They include civil society activists Daniel Bekele of the international development agency ActionAid, Netsanet Demissie of the Organization for Social Justice in Ethiopia, two journalists and an elected opposition member of parliament. Amnesty International considers them to be prisoners of conscience.
This major political trial, which opened in May 2006, relates to demonstrations in June and November 2005 protesting against alleged election fraud. The demonstrations began peacefully but ended with government forces shooting dead a total of 193 people, and wounding 765 men, women and children.
Earlier on 10 April 2007, 28 defendants had been freed when the judges ruled they had no case to answer after the prosecution had presented its case. Four other trials of CUD members and supporters are also continuing in Addis Ababa. The trial of Kifle Tigeneh, a prisoner of conscience and one of 10 opposition party members who were elected to parliament in May 2005, is adjourned until 29 October.
Amnesty International reiterates its call for the unconditional release of the prisoners of conscience still on trial. It also expresses its concern at the possibility that the prosecution may call for death sentences and that the judges may impose the death penalty, although the organization notes the reported statement made by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi that there would be no death sentences.
Amnesty International is also continuing to monitor the trial to assess whether it is conducted in accordance with international standards of fair trial.
