Maltese soldiers safe after Djibouti grenade attack; two others killed, 11 injured

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 The 21 Maltese soldiers taking part in the EU’s anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia were unhurt in a grenade attack that occurred this evening in Djibouti. However, six Dutch Navy personnel who serve on the same warship the Maltese soldiers are stationed on were injured in the attack.Details of the incident are still scarce but all Maltese personnel are safely aboard the Dutch Navy vessel HNLMS De Seven Provincien. The Maltese contingent left Malta oboard the ship on 11 May.

The Ministry said that, at the time of the attack, the Maltese soldiers and Dutch troops were eating inside a restaurant.

“The Maltese governenment is in constant contact with the 21 AFM members to ensure their safety.”

2 killed, 11 injured in the attack

According to the Reuters news agency, at least two persons were killed in the double-grenade attack, and 11 others injured. According to unconfirmed reports, the dead are staff members of the La Chaumiere restaurant and the injured are foreigners. Other reports say that one of the dead persons is a Frenchman.

According to Dutch media reports, six of the wounded are crew members of the Dutch ship the Maltese soldiers are stationed on. Their injuries are not thought to be life threatening.

“It’s a criminal act. We have two people dead and 11 wounded. It was grenades,” Colonel Omar Hassan, head of police in Djibouti city, said in an interview.

According to international news agencies, it is not immediately clear who was behind the attack.

Djibouti has the only U.S. military base in Africa and is considered to be an important ally to the U.S. in its fight against militant Islam.

The port is also used by foreign navies protecting the Gulf of Aden from pirate attacks.

Source: Malta Independent