Escalating gang violence in Straengnaes triggers fifth explosion in Sweden within a week
The explosion triggered the evacuation of 20 people from their homes in the hometown of Sweden's Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson. Bomb disposal experts arrived on the scene to defuse a portion of the unexploded bomb.
Feb 6, 2024 | updated: 4:10 AM EST, March 7, 2024
Based on information from the Expressen newspaper, the incident in Straengnaes is connected to a surge of violence that has been prevalent for a week. The first explosion occurred the previous Monday in Sandviken, approximately 118 miles north of Stockholm. Subsequent incidents unfolded in Sundbyberg, near Stockholm, from Thursday to Friday night. There were also occurrences in Gaevle to the north, as well as Handen on the southern outskirts of the capital this Sunday night into Monday.
The suspected instigator is believed to be a man who committed these explosions on behalf of Rawa Majid, the leader of the Foxtrot group, who is also known as "Kurdish Fox."
"We must reverse this trend. Month after month, criminal activity in Sweden is becoming progressively more robust. I refuse to surrender. We will restore safety," Kristersson asserted on Instagram Tuesday.
In 2023, Sweden recorded 149 bombings, the highest number ever since these types of statistics were first collated in 2018. Additionally, last year, authorities confiscated more than 22,046 pounds of explosives in the country.
