SOMALIA: Bakara Market, one of the world's largest open-air weapons markets, burns down in Mogadishu

Record ID: 457640

  • Title: SOMALIA: Bakara Market, one of the world's largest open-air weapons markets, burns down in Mogadishu
  • Date: 4th October 2007
  • Summary: (AD1) MOGADISHU, SOMALIA (FILE) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF GUNS ON DISPLAY IN THE MARKET MAN CHECKING GUN MONEY BEING EXCHANGED VARIOUS OF CUSTOMER FIRING GUN A PICK-UP LOADED WITH PEOPLE AND GUNS DRIVES AWAY
  • Embargoed: 19th October 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Somalia
  • Country: Somalia
  • Topics: Industry
  • Reuters ID: LVAE39MG2CVSYHMK17CUKAR8L62H
  • Story Text: A fire tore through Somalia's biggest market on Tuesday (October 2), killing one person and sparking an outbreak of looting, witnesses and local media said.
    Local radio reports said one woman was killed in the blaze that started at dusk in the capital.
    Residents said they could hear sporadic explosions in the sprawling market, which houses stockpiles of ammunition and arms for sale. The market is home to one of the world's biggest open-air weapons market.
    Business people operating from the market reported huge losses.
    "My two shops were full to bursting point with clothes. When I came this morning nothing was left behind," said Maimun Ali, a shop keeper.
    Though officials said the cause of the fire was not yet known, some of the sellers attributed the fire to fighting at the market.
    "This is a disaster. I left my full shop yesterday and I came this morning to find nothing. We think the cause is the yesterday's fighting,"
    said Ahmed Osman.
    Bakara Market is considered a hideout for insurgents, including remnants of the Islamist movement, who have increasingly adopted Iraq-style guerrilla tactics including assassinations, roadside blasts and suicide bombings.
    Joint Somali-Ethiopian troops are fighting the Islamists who pose the greatest threat to the interim government's efforts to restore central rule to Somalia, mired in anarchy since the 1991 ouster of a Mohammed Siad Barre.
  • Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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