Landmines found hidden inside Mogadishu school

MOGADISHU, Somalia May 9 (Garowe Online) - An assortment of weapons including landmines and rocket launchers were found hidden inside an Islamic school in Mogadishu, Somalia’s police chief said on Wednesday.

Gen. Abdi Qeybdiid said the idea to hide weapons at a location where students regularly study is “evil” and “anti-Islam.”

“What if it [landmine] exploded while the young students are studying?” Gen. Qeybdiid asked while speaking to reporters later in the day.
 
 The assortment of weapons found buried at the Islamic school included 106 anti-tank mines, 40 rocket propelled grenades and several launchers and 460 hand grenades, according to military officials.

African Union peacekeepers, all of whom are Ugandans, participated in the search-and-seize operation that netted the largest weapons cache since Ethiopia-backed government troops assumed control of Mogadishu in January.

Insurgents linked to the removed Islamic Courts movement are believed responsible for a string of attacks targeting government personnel and instillations.

Mogadishu residents reported an explosion around 10:30pm local time Wednesday. There were no reports of casualties but witnesses said they heard gunfire immediately following the nighttime explosion.

Gen. Qeybdiid, the former warlord-turned-police-chief, promised that the government would take tough measures against those who hide weapons or insurgents.

“Any home that is found to be hiding weapons….we [government] will confiscate the house and the weapons and bring to justice the home owners,” Gen. Qeybdiid said.

The Ethiopia-backed Somali transitional government is the 14th attempt to restore order in the war-wracked country, but the government’s authority is being increasingly challenged by an active insurgency, despite the government’s claim of victory late last month.

Source: Garowe Online