KAMPALA: Twin bomb blasts ripped through crowds watching the World Cup final in Kampala, killing 64 and wounding scores in attacks blamed on Al Qaeda-linked militants in Somalia, officials said Monday.
No group claimed responsibility for the carnage at a Kampala sports bar and an Ethiopian restaurant but Uganda pointed at Shebab insurgents in Somalia, where Uganda has thousands of troops deployed in an African Union mission.
At least one American was among those killed in the explosions, which US President Barack Obama swiftly condemned as "cowardly" and came days ahead of the annual African Union summit in Kampala.
"We have 64 dead and 65 injured. The nationalities of all the fatalities will be released later," national police spokeswoman Judith Nabakooba said.
Ugandan government spokesman Fred Opolot said police were trying to determine if suicide bombers took part.
"While there is evidence to suggest that there were suicide bombers, at the same time it is thought that the bombs were under some chairs," he told reporters.
Ugandan security cordoned off the scene of the blasts as a rescue effort that lasted through the night continued Monday.
A US embassy spokeswoman confirmed one American was among the dead and an AFP correspondent saw at least three wounded US citizens at the city’s main Mulago hospital, where dozens were rushed in for treatment.
"We just wanted to watch the World Cup. Unfortunately we went to the Ethiopian village," said Chris Sledge, an 18-year-old US national who suffered serious injuries to his legs and a bruised eye.
"I feel OK. I’m going to need surgery," he said.
The attacks, which dampened the party mood around the first World Cup in Africa, drew a barrage of international condemnation.
"The president is deeply saddened by the loss of life resulting from these deplorable and cowardly attacks, and sends his condolences to the people of Uganda and the loved ones of those who have been killed or injured," US National Security Council spokesman Mike Hammer said.
The United States was in contact with its embassy in Kampala and the Federal Bureau of Investigation regarding Uganda’s requests for assistance, said a senior US administration official.
Ugandan police chief Kale Kayihura told reporters it was too early to say who was behind the attack but suggested Uganda’s leading role in the African Union force (AMISOM) battling the Shebab in Somalia could be the motive.
"Obviously this is terrorism. That one is clear," he said.
"You know there have been declarations from Shebab and Al-Qaeda. Terrorism is a modern-day threat. You know the region we are in and our commitment in Somalia," Kayihura said.
The Shebab did not immediately comment on the bombings. A website linked to the group carried a news story on the attacks, however, under the banner "glad tidings".
Another website close to the Shebab stopped short of claiming the attacks but said "more Somalis who have suffered in the AMISOM bombardment will feel at peace when they see the mujahideen youth movement (Shebab) delivering on their pledge to retaliate for AMISOM massacres in Mogadishu."
Several factors pointed to a possible motive for Shebab involvement: they struck Uganda, they cast a pall on the upcoming AU summit, they destroyed an Ethiopian restaurant and ripped through a group of football fans.
Shebab opposes Ethiopia because it sent troops into Somalia to support the transitional government against the Islamist hardliners.
The Shebab, which controls most of Somalia and imposes a strict form of Islamic law (Sharia), had banned people from gathering to watch the World Cup in areas it controls.
AU Peace and Security Commissioner Ramtane Lamamra condemned the Uganda blasts "in the strongest possible terms".
He did not comment on the Shebab’s alleged involvement but stressed the attack was "directed at an African country that is active in promoting the goals of the African Union."
A Ugandan government spokesman said the July 19-27 AU summit in Kampala would go ahead as planned.
