VZCZCXRO0927
OO RUEHDE RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHNR #0832 1181331
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 281331Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9338
INFO RUCNSOM/SOMALIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHMFIUU/CJTF HOA
RUZEFAA/CDR USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUZEFAA/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS NAIROBI 000832 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR AF/E AND ACTING A/S CARTER 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM SO
 
SUBJECT: SOMALIA - Attack on Parliament 
 
REF: A) Nairobi 810  B) Nairobi 805 
 
¶1.  On April 25 a mortar attack against the Somali parliament killed 
at least eight people and wounded fifteen others.  There were no 
causalities among the lawmakers.  The temporary house of the Somali 
parliament, located at the former police transport headquarters in 
Mogadishu, was attacked with approximately ten mortars.  Four 
mortars landed inside the compound.  One TFG police officer was 
killed and three others were injured inside the compound.  The other 
deaths and injuries were civilians, including schoolchildren, who 
were in the surrounding neighborhood.  The attack occurred after 
most of the parliamentarians had already left the compound after the 
day's legislative session ended.  Prime Minister Sharmarke and other 
TFG cabinet members had attended the session but were not in the 
compound at the time of the attack. 
 
¶2.  Also on April 25, a separate mortar attack took place against 
Burundian African Union forces based at Siad Barre Military Academy. 
 At least seven civilians were killed after mortars missed their 
target and landed in the Hodan and Howlwadaag neighborhoods near the 
AMISOM base.  The Burundian forces retaliated and AU representatives 
told us there were no AMISOM casualties.  An AMISOM officer reported 
that three civilians came to the AMISOM medical center for 
treatment.  Reports indicate that at least 25 people were wounded. 
 
¶3.  Some implicated the return of Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys (ref a) 
as linked to the weekend attacks.  In an April 24 speech, Aweys 
vowed to fight against AU forces and refused to talk with the 
government until AMISOM leaves Somalia.  Mogadishu residents and 
religious, clan and TFG leaders expressed outrage at the 
perpetrators of violence in the capital, continuing to speak out 
against the wave of targeted attacks in Mogadishu (ref b).  During a 
press conference following the attacks, the Prime Minister said that 
it is a tragedy for civilians who are trying to reconstruct their 
lives to be killed.  He called on Somalis to support the government 
against violent groups. 
 
RANNEBERGER