Three blasts wound 42 in Ethiopian town

ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Three blasts in the Ethiopian town of Jijiga at the weekend have injured 42 people, the state-run Ethiopian News Agency said on Monday.

The explosions, on Saturday night, appeared to have been set off in a coordinated attack in the capital of Ethiopia's Somali region, located about 485 km (300 miles) west of Addis Ababa close to the Somali border, officials said.

"Three explosions occurred at Central Hotel, London cafe and Family cafe in Jijiga town simultaneously around 8 p.m. Saturday," Abdulahi Hassan, the administrator of the Somali region, told ENA.

Of the 42 injured, 23 were wounded seriously, he said.

He called the blasts "futile attempts to disrupt the ongoing development programmes in the region," according to ENA.

Blasts have been relatively infrequent in Ethiopia, but the capital Addis Ababa this year has been hit by a string of mysterious explosions. At least eight tore through the city earlier this month, killing four and injuring at least 43.

The Horn of Africa country has seen rising instances of civil unrest since demonstrators protesting election results clashed with security forces twice last year, leaving at least 80 dead.

Ethiopia, sub-Saharan Africa's second most populous country, also has several armed rebel movements which have been blamed for attacks in the past.

(c) Reuters 2006.

Source: http://news.scotsman.com