Ethiopia- Somalia: Deadly Garowe explosion injures Oromo woman
Jimma Times
- Update - According to Puntland Intelligence Service (PIS) in northern Somalia, all three wounded and one killed are being identified as Ethiopian immigrants, contradicting previous statements that only one Ethiopian was targetted.
A deadly explosion in the Puntland provincal capital of Garowe city in Somalia injured an Oromo-Ethiopian woman and killed one Somali national.
According to the local media Garowe Online, the blast occurred at a restaurant and police said the restaurant owner is under investigation in relation to the explosion. Two other Somalis were also wounded in the incident that allegedly occurred when a hand grenade was dropped accidentally.
On Monday, two more Somalis were also killed in Puntland during riots following the arrest of a famous Islamic cleric. According to the UN’s IRIN news agency, drought conditions have been worsening in Puntland and warned of a full-blown disaster in the region within months.
Puntland, located in northeastern Somalia, has been relatively peaceful compared to the war torn southern Somalia. However, its port city Bossaso was the site of a deadly bombing in March 2008 that killed dozens of Oromos. Al Shabab insurgents reportedly took responsibility for the bombing, which also wounded at least 100 more Ethiopian immigrants from the Oromo ethnic group.
Several political and economic migrants who leave Ethiopia often face worse conditions in neighboring countries and Gulf States while hundreds die every year trying to cross the dangerous waters over to Yemen. A recent VOA report said there are around 14,500 Ethiopian asylum seekers in Somalia waiting for UN recognition and some Oromos often get robbed or shot at while some Oromo women are raped by Somalis. Due to the close relationship between Somaliland and Ethiopia, some Oromos are also abducted and deported back to Ethiopia from Hargeisa for detention and possible torture by the Ethiopian government.
