Somali Islamists Target Peace Talks, Kill Children

Somali Islamists Target Peace Talks, Kill Children

MOHAMED OLAD HASSAN
The Associated Press

Jul. 19, 2007

At least six children were killed in mortar attacks Thursday not far from a building where a long-awaited peace conference opened in the Somali capital, the mayor said. The children died as they played soccer a few hundred yards from the conference, said Mayor Mohamed Dheere, adding that three others were wounded. "Terrorists were behind these mortar attacks. They wanted to undermine the peace process and they missed their target and killed children," Dheere said. The conference had opened briefly Sunday, but was postponed after eight mortar rounds landed near the venue. The meeting has been delayed several times due to violence and infighting. In the latest shelling, residents near the conference in a northern part of the Somali capital heard five mortar explosions, said police Col. Abdi Shino, who added that none hit the venue. Over the weekend, Islamic militants threatened to disrupt the gathering, saying anyone who takes part "is sentenced to death." The threat came from the Shabab, the militant wing of an Islamic group that ruled much of southern Somalia for six months last year. The group was driven from its strongholds in December, but vowed to launch an Iraq-style insurgency until Somalia is ruled by an Islamic theocracy. Mogadishu has seen little peace since government troops backed by Ethiopian forces drove Islamic hard-liners out. Bombs, attacks on government installations, assassination attempts and gunbattles are common, with civilians caught in the crossfire.