At least 100 people were killed in two car bombings at a busy junction in the capital, Mogadishu, Somali’s president said, and the toll could rise in the country’s deadliest attack since a truck bombing at the same spot five years ago killed more than 500.
President Sheik Hassan Mahammod, at the site of Saturday’s explosions in Mogadishu, told journalists that nearly 300 other people were wounded. “We ask our international partners and Muslims around the world to send their medical doctors here since we cannot send all the victims outside the country for treatment,” he said.
The Al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab extremist group claimed responsibility, saying its objective was to hit the Education Ministry. It claimed the ministry was an “enemy base” that receives support from Non-muslim countries and “is committed to removing Somali children from the Islamic faith.”
Al-Shabab has engaged in a long-running conflict with the federal Somali government. A lorry exploded at the same junction in October 2017, leaving more than 500 people dead. This is the worst attack in the Country’s history.
It is not immediately clear how vehicles loaded with explosives again made it through a city with checkpoints and constantly on alert for attacks.
President Mohammed, five months in power pledged “total war” against the Islamist militants after they attacked a popular hotel in Mogadishu in August killing at least 21 people.
Saturday’s blasts happened within minutes of each other, destroying buildings and vehicles within the vicinity.
The first hit the Education ministry and then the second went off after medical teams arrived to deal with the aftermath.
Hundreds of people gathered near the site looking for their missing family members. Among those killed were a prominent journalist, a police officer, and mothers with children in their arms.
The attack happened on the day the Somali president, prime minister, and other senior officers were meeting to discuss expanded efforts to combat extremism and especially al-Shabab.
The African Union (AU) in Somalia said that the attacks underlie the urgency and critical importance of the ongoing military offense to further degrade Al-Shabab.
The United States, Turkey, Qatar, and Germany have all condemned the attack.
U.S National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan issued a statement condemning the attack, “in particular it’s heinous targeting of the Somali Ministry of Education and first responders.”
“The United States remains committed to supporting the Federal government of Somalia in its fight to prevent such callous terrorist attacks,” the statement said.
Al-Shabab has been battling the AU-backed federal government for control of Somalia for around 15 years.
The group controls much of southern and central Somalia but has also been able to extend its influence into areas controlled by the government based in Mogadishu.
At least 100 people were killed in two car bombings at a busy junction in the capital, Mogadishu, Somali’s president said, and the toll could rise in the country’s deadliest attack since a truck bombing at the same spot five years ago killed more than 500.
President Sheik Hassan Mahammod, at the site of Saturday’s explosions in Mogadishu, told journalists that nearly 300 other people were wounded. “We ask our international partners and Muslims around the world to send their medical doctors here since we cannot send all the victims outside the country for treatment,” he said.
The Al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab extremist group claimed responsibility, saying its objective was to hit the Education Ministry. It claimed the ministry was an “enemy base” that receives support from Non-muslim countries and “is committed to removing Somali children from the Islamic faith.”
Al-Shabab has engaged in a long-running conflict with the federal Somali government. A lorry exploded at the same junction in October 2017, leaving more than 500 people dead. This is the worst attack in the Country’s history.
It is not immediately clear how vehicles loaded with explosives again made it through a city with checkpoints and constantly on alert for attacks.
President Mohammad, five months in power pledged “total war” against the Islamist militants after they attacked a popular hotel in Mogadishu in August killing at least 21 people.
Saturday’s blasts happened within minutes of each other, destroying buildings and vehicles within the vicinity.
The first hit the Education ministry and then the second went off after medical teams arrived to deal with the aftermath.
Hundreds of people gathered near the site looking for their missing family members. Among those killed were a prominent journalist, a police officer, and mothers with children in their arms.
The attack happened on the day the Somali president, prime minister, and other senior officers were meeting to discuss expanded efforts to combat extremism and especially al-Shabab.
The African Union (AU) in Somalia said that the attacks underlie the urgency and critical importance of the ongoing military offense to further degrade Al-Shabab.
The United States, Turkey, Qatar, and Germany have all condemned the attack.
U.S National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan issued a statement condemning the attack, “in particular it’s heinous targeting of the Somali Ministry of Education and first responders.”
“The United States remains committed to supporting the Federal government of Somalia in its fight to prevent such callous terrorist attacks,” the statement said.
Al-Shabab has been battling the AU-backed federal government for control of Somalia for around 15 years.
The group controls much of southern and central Somalia but has also been able to extend its influence into areas controlled by the government based in Mogadishu.
