Somalia's main insurgent group, the Al Qaeda-inspired Shebab, has claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on Mogadishu airport that killed at least five people.
"Specially trained fighters from the Shebab mujahideen (holy warriors) carried out a holy attack on the Christian forces of Uganda," said a statement posted on one of the websites used by the group.
The Shebab, which also claimed a July 11 suicide attack that killed 76 people in Kampala, has promised to keep targeting the African Union mission in Somalia (AMISOM), which consists of Ugandan and Burundian troops.
"The brave fighters who carried out the attack forced one of the airport's main entrances and killed the guards, as well as senior Christian officials and other apostate officials," the statement said.
The Shebab claims that AMISOM, the last barrier preventing the insurgents from seizing full control of Mogadishu and toppling the president, is embarked on a Christian crusade against Muslim Somalia.
According to an AMISOM spokesman and witnesses, at least two African troops, three civilians and five suicide attackers died in Thursday's assault, which took place moments after top foreign envoys met the Somali president.
Christians under attack in Somalia
Somalia's main insurgent group, the Al Qaeda-inspired Shebab, has claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on Mogadishu airport that killed at least five people.
"Specially trained fighters from the Shebab mujahideen (holy warriors) carried out a holy attack on the Christian forces of Uganda," said a statement posted on one of the websites used by the group.
The Shebab, which also claimed a July 11 suicide attack that killed 76 people in Kampala, has promised to keep targeting the African Union mission in Somalia (AMISOM), which consists of Ugandan and Burundian troops.
"The brave fighters who carried out the attack forced one of the airport's main entrances and killed the guards, as well as senior Christian officials and other apostate officials," the statement said.
The Shebab claims that AMISOM, the last barrier preventing the insurgents from seizing full control of Mogadishu and toppling the president, is embarked on a Christian crusade against Muslim Somalia.
According to an AMISOM spokesman and witnesses, at least two African troops, three civilians and five suicide attackers died in Thursday's assault, which took place moments after top foreign envoys met the Somali president.
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