Swedish police says 50 arrests made amid bombings surge

Swedish police said Wednesday they have made 50 arrests related to a spike in violence that has seen daily bombings that shows no sign of abating.

Sweden has struggled in recent years to rein in shootings and bombings linked to score-settling between rival criminal gangs.

Perpetrators are often young teens, hired as contract killers because they are under the age of criminal responsibility, which is 15.

There have been more than 30 bombings since the start of the year.

"Despite the fact that we have recently arrested 50 individuals in 25 different types of cases ... this violence is not slowing down," police national operations department deputy head Hampus Nygards told a press conference.

Nygards said police had arrested people who carried out the bombings and bomb makers. Leading criminal figures residing abroad had also been arrested.

According to Nygards, the recent surge in bombings was of a different character than the gang rivalry previously observed.

"This is a different type of problem than conflict-related violence. This violence is often linked to extortion, threats and demands for money," he told reporters.

Tobias Bergkvist, deputy police chief in Stockholm, said the increase in perpetrators under 15 was "dramatic."

He added that the supply of those ready to commit crimes was "unfortunately as it stands now inexhaustible."

Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer lamented Tuesday that Sweden had seen an "exceptional day" on Monday with five bombings in one day, as well as recording the country's first deadly shooting of the year.

Strommer called an emergency meeting for Thursday of different authorities to discuss how to break "the spiral of violence."

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said in a social media post Monday that the violence constituted "domestic terrorism."