Times of Somalia

Mongadishu, Somalia
March 17, 2014
3 pages
15 Sh.So
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Terrorist Attack on Hotel in Somalia

Author:
Alexis Iturralde
On February 20, 2015
government officials were
meeting at the Central Hotel in
Mongadishu for Friday Prayer
when a bomb went off. A truck
full of men rammed into the
gate of the hotel which set off
the explosion. After the
explosion one member from
the truck ran into the hotel
setting off another bomb. THe
explosion killed the bomber,
the deputy major, the
legislator, and 8 others with
numbers still rising. There
were many wounded left
behind including the countrys
deputy prime minister,
Mohamed Omar Arte.
Witnesses state that they
saw a truck ram into the front
gate and exploded at that
instant. A witness inside the
building said they saw someone
run into the building and then a
massive explosion. Debri flew
everywhere, things were on
fire, and many people were
injured or dead. One witness
gave a description of dead
bodies lying in pools of blood.
2)

Officials have now found out

that the group that bombed the
hotel was working with
al-Shabaab, an Islamic extremist
group. Al-Shabaab is very well
known terrorist group throughout
the country of Somalia. Before the
bombing attack, on February 10,
2015, al-Shabaab plegded
alligience to al-Qaeda. This has
been the second bombing in less
than a month from al-Shabaab,
the first Bobing occuring on
January, 22, 2015.
Al-Shabaab gave a statement
that they were targeting
thegovernment officals, so that
they could make a larger statement
to everyone else. They have also
taken credit for the shootings on
Monday, which killed 3 officails
working or the Somali CIvil
Aviation authority. To counter
these statements the President of
Somalia, Hassan Sheikh
Mohamoud, stated that these
attacks will not affect their
movements to peace in Somalia.
In the after math of this
catastrophy we can only give hope
and sympathy to those who died
and who are still trying to heal.

Local officials trying to help people in

bombing

________________________________
The attacks of al-Shabaab may
have caused a dark moment for
the people of Somalia, but this
fear has been turned into
determination. This
determination is whatdrives the
movement for peace and why the
Somali peoplehave to fight back
against the al-Shabaab group.
Sources:
1) Press, Abdi Guled Associated. "Suicide
Bombings at Somalia Hotel Kill at Least 10
People."
USA Today
. Gannett, 20 Feb. 2015.
Web. 17 Mar. 2015
2) Ibrahim, Mohammed. "Bombing in
Somalia Capital Kills at Least 10 People,
and the Shabab Claims Responsibility."
The
New York Times
. The New York Times, 20
Feb. 2015. Web. 17 Mar. 2015.
3)
"Somalia's Deputy Prime Minister Hurt
in Deadly Suicide Bombing." The Guardian,
n.d. Web

New U.S Ambassador: Friend or Foe?

Author:
Alexis Iturralde
On February 24, 2015
President Obama assigned a U.S
ambassadr to Somalia. This is
the first time since 1991, which
is when chaos broke lose and
the US embassy had to shut
down. The new U.S. ambassador
for Somalia is Katherine
Simonds Dhanahi, a Foreign
Service diplomat who is said to
have significant amount of
experience with African
government. She is now staying
in Kenya until Security
conditions improve and allow
the embassy to re-open in
Somalia.
Now whether or not this
woman can solely help change
the country for good, this is a
sign of commitment from the
U.S. With this sign showing
commitment from the U.S. we
should accept it with open arms
and at least see what she has
planned.

Also there is no better timing

for Ms. Dhanani to come,
considering we are working to
bring our country to peace. With
her help we could finally
accomplish our long desired peace
that weve all waited for.
Ever since the civil war that
took place in 1991 we were
divided and turned against one
another for nearly 25 years. And
as we have been striving for peace
new threats have risen from
groups who wish to close out the
world and stay in what we always
knew, darkness. But we will not
go back to those dark years and
we will fight against it. Having Ms.
Dhanani could be our advantage
to going up against this darkness.
Of course change is a bit scary and
Ms. Dhanani is just one person but
with our cooperation and our
trust in her, together we can stop
this darkness from spreading.

Kathrine Simonds Dhanani in

Africa.

________________________________
Sources:
1)"Barack Obama Nominates First US
Ambassador to Somalia Since
1991."
Israel Messenger
. N.p., n.d. Web.
19 Mar. 2015.
2)"Obama Nominates First U.S.
Ambassador to Somalia Since 1991."
Time
. Time, n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2015.
3)
"White House Nomination of
United States Ambassador to
Somalia."
U.S. Department of State
.
U.S. Department of State, 24 Feb.
2015. Web. 19 Mar. 2015.