Three dead, 15 injured in Ethiopia blast

28 September, 2008

ADDIS ABABA (AFP) - At least three people were killed and 15 injured Sunday in an explosion in eastern Ethiopia, as investigators scrambled to determine if it was an act of terrorism or an accident, police said.

The blast occurred near a hotel in Jijiga, the capital of Ethiopia's eastern Somali region, federal police spokesman Demsash Hailu told AFP.

"An explosion this morning downtown Jijiga, near a hotel, has killed three people and there are above 15 wounded," he said.

"I suspect it is a terrorist action because we have some problems in this area. But there is an investigation opened. We'll look into the matter to confirm if it is a terrorist action or an accidental explosion," Hailu said.