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| Somali leader survives bomb blast | Somali leader survives bomb blast |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| At least 11 people have died in an apparent bid to assassinate Somalia's interim president outside parliament in the town of Baidoa, say officials. | At least 11 people have died in an apparent bid to assassinate Somalia's interim president outside parliament in the town of Baidoa, say officials. |
| A suspected car bomb went off soon after a convoy left carrying President Abdullahi Yusuf, but the leader is said to have escaped unharmed. | A suspected car bomb went off soon after a convoy left carrying President Abdullahi Yusuf, but the leader is said to have escaped unharmed. |
| A second bomb exploded near the first, setting at least five cars ablaze. | A second bomb exploded near the first, setting at least five cars ablaze. |
| Mr Yusuf has strained relations with an Islamist group which controls much of southern Somalia. | Mr Yusuf has strained relations with an Islamist group which controls much of southern Somalia. |
| The interim government controls only Baidoa and a small area around it. | The interim government controls only Baidoa and a small area around it. |
| The Union of Islamic Courts deny US accusations that they are linked to al-Qaeda. | The Union of Islamic Courts deny US accusations that they are linked to al-Qaeda. |
| Ten days ago, Mohamed Ibrahim Habsade, the warlord who controls Baidoa, told the BBC that militiamen would eject government members by force if they did not withdraw from Baidoa peacefully. | |
| Pool of blood | Pool of blood |
| One of the dead was reported to be the president's younger brother - a security official. | |
| "I saw a white car explode in front of the parliament, demolishing seven other cars nearby," witness Sahad Mohamed Abukar told AFP news agency. | "I saw a white car explode in front of the parliament, demolishing seven other cars nearby," witness Sahad Mohamed Abukar told AFP news agency. |
| In pictures: Baidoa blasts | |
| "There were screams everywhere." | "There were screams everywhere." |
| Somali Foreign Minister Ismail Hurre said the attack had been an assassination attempt on the president. | Somali Foreign Minister Ismail Hurre said the attack had been an assassination attempt on the president. |
| "Five people were killed from the presidential convoy and three wounded," the minister told reporters in the Kenyan capital. | "Five people were killed from the presidential convoy and three wounded," the minister told reporters in the Kenyan capital. |
| "Six attackers were also killed and two captured." | "Six attackers were also killed and two captured." |
| Prime Minister Ali Mohammed Ghedi told the BBC that President Yusuf was alive and well. | Prime Minister Ali Mohammed Ghedi told the BBC that President Yusuf was alive and well. |
| Local journalist Mohamed Adawe said the blast came 10 minutes after the president had delivered a speech. | Local journalist Mohamed Adawe said the blast came 10 minutes after the president had delivered a speech. |
| The parliament was meeting to approve Mr Ghedi's new government. MPs have been debating whether the government should share power with the UIC. | |
| They have held peace talks but have not yet reached an agreement. | |
| "This explosion was intended to kill the president, but he escaped and he is safe," said government spokesman Abdirahman Dinari. | "This explosion was intended to kill the president, but he escaped and he is safe," said government spokesman Abdirahman Dinari. |
| President Yusuf wants foreign peacekeepers sent to Somalia - a suggestion strongly rejected by the Islamists, who say they can take care of security in a country which has not had an effective national government for 15 years. | President Yusuf wants foreign peacekeepers sent to Somalia - a suggestion strongly rejected by the Islamists, who say they can take care of security in a country which has not had an effective national government for 15 years. |
| Meanwhile, a group of Italian Catholic nuns are being evacuated from Mogadishu after one of their elderly colleagues was shot dead on Sunday by gunmen; the UIC condemned the killing. | Meanwhile, a group of Italian Catholic nuns are being evacuated from Mogadishu after one of their elderly colleagues was shot dead on Sunday by gunmen; the UIC condemned the killing. |
| Did you witness the explosion outside Somalia's interim parliament in Baidoa? Please send us your comments and experiences using the form below. | Did you witness the explosion outside Somalia's interim parliament in Baidoa? Please send us your comments and experiences using the form below. |