New Delhi: Former Maldives president and the current speaker of parliament Mohamed Nasheed was injured in a blast outside his home on Thursday.
According to Maldives Police, Nasheed has sustained injuries and is currently receiving treatment at ADK Hospital in Male.
Maldives parliament’s deputy speaker posted the same message on Twitter saying the public will be updated on Nasheed’s condition.
Maldives President Ibrahim Solih rushed to the hospital, accompanied by defence minister Mariya Didi and other officials.
Maldives president’s spokesperson announced that the president will meet with the National Security Council tonight regarding the attack. President Solih tweeted that he strongly condemned the attack and said that Maldives’ National Defence Forces and Police were investigating the blast.
A special session of parliament has also been convened tonight.
The ruling Maldives Democratic Party described the incident as a “terrorist attack targeting speaker Mohamed Nasheed, to take his life”.
India’s external affairs minister S. Jaishankar was the first foreign leader to respond to the incident. Jaishankar tweeted that he was “deeply concerned” and wished the former president a “speedy recovery”.
Well-informed sources have told The Wire that Nasheed’s injuries were relatively minor. However, this incident sent shockwaves throughout the island nation, with politicians from all hues condemning the attack.
Nasheed’s only credible security threat has been from Islamist groups, who have previously attacked civil society members.
Ahmed Mahloof, Minister of Youth and Community Empowerment in Maldives told the Indian Express the incident was reported at around 8.30 pm (Maldives Time).
“He was about to leave his home. The explosion happened while he was walking towards his car. It is a narrow street where he lives so he had to walk a few meters to reach the car. It was reportedly a motorbike that exploded. He was accompanied by his bodyguards and one of them was also injured,” he told Indian Express.
Mahloof belongs to Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party.
A foreign national was also injured in the incident as per a video taken by the local media.
(With inputs from Reuters)