Cablegate: Somalia - Puntland and Somaliland Terror Attacks

VZCZCXRO9202
OO RUEHDE RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHNR #2519 3041500
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 301500Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7485
INFO RUCNSOM/SOMALIA COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEPVAA/COMJSOC FT BRAGG NC IMMEDIATE
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE
RHMFIUU/CJTF HOA IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 7406

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

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