Ambushed Somali Official Emerges From Hiding and Blames Ethiopia
MOGADISHU, Somalia — The speaker of Somalia’s parliament appeared after two days of hiding Monday and accused neighboring Ethiopia of masterminding an attack on his entourage that left at least nine people dead and dozens injured.
A delegation led by speaker Abdalla Derow Issak, which included a government minister and seven legislators, was ambushed Saturday by more than 200 anti-government gunmen 185 miles northwest of Mogadishu, the capital.
The speaker and government officials were forced to flee on foot and had not been heard from until they contacted reporters in the capital through VHF radio early Monday.
“Ethiopia has masterminded the attack,” Issak told reporters after the gunmen withdrew, allowing his safe return.
The rebels have not commented on their withdrawal.
President Abdiqassim Salad Hassan has not spoken about the ambush, which took place when Issak’s delegation was touring a rebel-controlled region in an attempt to drum up support for the new national government.
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