A SERIES OF FIVE BLASTS KILLED ONE PERSON AND INJURED AT LEAST 14 OTHERS IN ADDIS ABABA ON MONDAY, THE FIRST FATALITY IN A STRING OF MYSTERIOUS EXPLOSIONS IN THE ETHIOPIAN CAPITAL, REUTERS REPORTED. ONE PERSON WAS KILLED AND THREE OTHERS INJURED WHEN THE FIRST BLAST RIPPED THROUGH A MINIBUS IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE CITY. OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF ADDIS ABABA, EXPLOSIONS WENT OFF IN A SMALL CAFE, A GUARD SHACK, AN ABATTOIR AND OUTSIDE A HOUSE IN A RESIDENTIAL SUBURB, POLICE SAID. 'THE EXPLOSIONS WHICH CAUSED LOSS OF LIFE AND DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY ARE AIMED AT DISRUPTING THE PEACEFUL LIVES OF CITIZENS,' A POLICE STATEMENT READ ON STATE TELEVISION SAID. AN EMPLOYEE IN THE CAFE, LITTERED WITH BROKEN GLASS, SAID THE EXPLOSION THERE INJURED 10 PEOPLE. THE FOURTH EXPLOSION, IN THE BUSY MERCATO TRADING DISTRICT, TORE THE TIN ROOF OFF A GUARD SHACK NEAR SOME WAREHOUSES. A SIDEWALK VENDOR WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED, WITNESSES SAID.
