| 2007 Algiers bombings | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | Algiers, Algeria |
| Date | 11 December 2007 09:30 (GMT+1) |
| Target | United Nations, Constitutional Court |
Attack type | suicide bombings |
| Deaths | 41 (incl. 17 UN staff)[1] |
| Injured | 170 |
| Perpetrators | claimed byal-Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb |
There were two near simultaneousbombings in Algiers which occurred on 11 December 2007 when twocar bombs exploded 10 minutes apart starting at around 9:30 a.m. local time, in theAlgerian capital,Algiers.[2] Theal-Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb has claimed responsibility for the attacks, stating that it was "another successful conquest [...] carried out by the Knights of the Faith with their blood in defense of the wounded nation of Islam."[2][3] These attacks constitute another act of violence in the ongoingIslamic insurgency, a continuation of theAlgerian Civil War that has claimed 200,000 lives.[4][5]
Twocar bombs containing 800 kg (1,700 lb) of explosives each were used in the bombings.[6] The first explosion occurred in the Ben Aknoun district, near the Supreme Constitutional Court. This was followed ten minutes later by a second blast on the road that separates theUnited Nations offices from the offices of theUNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) in the Hydra neighborhood.[7] The United Nations building partially collapsed in the explosion while the UNHCR offices were "leveled" according to a UNHCR official.[8] The United Nations building housed the offices of theUN Development Programme (UNDP), theWorld Food Programme (WFP), theInternational Labour Organization (ILO), theUN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), theJoint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the Department of Safety and Security (DSS) and thePopulation Fund (UNFPA).[9] The collapsed section mainly housed the UNDP.[6]
The attack against the UN office was a suicide bombing.[6] It is as yet unknown whether the same is true for the Constitutional Court attack.
The attack caused the third highest staff casualties in the history of the United Nations, after the 2003Canal Hotel bombing, which targeted the UN headquarters inBaghdad, Iraq, and also killed the Secretary-General's Special Representative to IraqSérgio Vieira de Mello and 21 other staff members[2] and the2010 Haiti earthquake in which 22 UN peacekeepers have been confirmed dead as of 14 January 2010; and 150 missing. TheHead ofMINUSTAH was killed in the disaster.[citation needed]
| Country | Number |
|---|---|
 Algeria | 37+ |
 Denmark | 1 |
 Philippines | 1 |
 Senegal | 1 |
 China | 1 |
| Total | 41+ |
 | This article'sfactual accuracy may be compromised due to out-of-date information. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(December 2012) |
The bombings are believed to have killed at least 31 people. Among the dead were 17 United Nations employees at work in their offices, including 14 Algerians and aDane, aFilipino, and aSenegalese.[10] AChinese construction worker was also killed.[11] This official death toll, provided by AlgerianInterior MinisterYazid Zerhouni, conflicts with numbers reported by hospital and rescue officials, which triple the government's count.[2][8]
Many people are still unaccounted for. A number of them are possibly still trapped under the rubble, according to UN spokeswoman Maria Okabe. Jean Fabre, head of the UN Development Programme'sGeneva office, indicated they were still searching for survivors in the rubble.[2]
177 people were injured in total, according to Zerhouni.[2]CNN has confirmed that the bombers used homemadenitroglycerin bombs, which had iron nails in them to increase casualties.[2]
TheUnited Nations Security Council held an official meeting on the same day in order to condemn the attacks.[12]
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