20111005
Reuters
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States condemned a bombing by al Qaeda-linked Somali rebels that killed more than 70 people in Somalia's capital Mogadishu on Tuesday, and said those responsible for the attack must be held accountable.

The truck bombing, which caused the most casualties among young students waiting for exam results at the education ministry, was the deadliest attack by al Shabaab militants in the country since launching an insurgency since 2007.

"This despicable and cowardly act took the lives of dozens of innocent civilians," the White House said. "Those who carried out these attacks have nothing to offer the people of Somalia except murder and destruction and they must be held accountable."

The African Union force in Somalia (AMISOM) said a truck laden with drums of fuel rammed a checkpoint outside a compound housing government ministries in Mogadishu.

"The United States stands with the families and loved ones of those killed and injured, and with the Somali people, who have suffered for far too long," the White House said.

It called for continued international support for the African Union mission and the Transitional Federal Government.

Al Shabaab Islamists have taken control of large areas of south and central Somalia. The Horn of Africa nation has been mired in anarchy since warlords toppled military dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991. The interim government's attempts to restore central rule have largely been paralyzed by infighting and insurgency.