As angry protesters gathered near the
scene of the attack, Somalia's
government blamed the al-Qaida-linked
al- Shabab extremist group for what it
called a "national disaster."
The most powerful bomb blast ever
witnessed in Somalia's capital killed 276
people with around 300 others injured,
the country's information minister said
early today, making it the deadliest single
attack in this Horn of Africa nation.
The toll could continue to rise.
In a tweet, Abdirahman Osman called the
attack "barbaric" and said countries
including Turkey and Kenya had already
offered to send medical aid. Hospitals
were overwhelmed a day after a truck
bomb targeted a crowded street near key
government ministries, including foreign
affairs.
As angry protesters gathered near the
scene of the attack, Somalia's
government blamed the al-Qaida-linked
al- Shabab extremist group for what it
called a "national disaster." However,
Africa's deadliest Islamic extremist
group, which often targets high-profile
areas of the capital, had yet to comment.
Al-Shabab earlier this year vowed to step
up attacks after both the Trump
administration and Somalia's recently
elected president announced new
military efforts against the group.
The Mogadishu bombing is one of the
deadliest attacks in sub-Saharan Africa,
larger than the Garissa University attack
in Kenya in 2015 and the US Embassy
bombings in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998.
Doctors at Mogadishu hospitals struggled
to assist badly wounded victims, many
burned beyond recognition. "This is
really horrendous, unlike any other time
in the past," said Dr Mohamed Yusuf, the
director of Medina hospital.
Inside, bleary-eyed nurses transported a
man whose legs had been blown off. He
waited as surgeons attended to another
badly injured patient. Exhausted doctors
struggled to keep their eyes open, while
screams from victims and newly
bereaved families echoed through the
halls.
"Nearly all of the wounded victims have
serious wounds," said nurse Samir Abdi.
"Unspeakable horrors." The smell of
blood was strong.
A teary-eyed Hawo Yusuf looked at her
husband's badly burned body. "He may
die waiting," she said. "We need help."
Ambulance sirens echoed across the city
as bewildered families wandered in the
rubble of buildings, looking for missing
relatives. "In our 10 year experience as
the first responder in #Mogadishu, we
haven't seen anything like this," the
Aamin Ambulance service tweeted.
Grief overwhelmed many.
"There's nothing I can say. We have lost
everything," wept Zainab Sharif, a
mother of four who lost her husband.
She sat outside a hospital where he was
pronounced dead after hours of efforts
by doctors to save him.
The country's Somali-American leader,
President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed,
declared three days of mourning and
joined thousands of people who
responded to a desperate plea by
hospitals to donate blood. "I am
appealing all Somali people to come
forward and donate," he said.
Mogadishu, a city long accustomed to
deadly bombings by al-Shabab, was
stunned by the force of Saturday's blast.
The explosion shattered hopes of
recovery in an impoverished country left
fragile by decades of conflict, and it
again raised doubts over the
government's ability to secure the
seaside city of more than 2 million
people.
"They don't care about the lives of
Somali people, mothers, fathers and
children," Prime Minister Hassan Ali
Khaire said of the attackers. "They have
targeted the most populated area in
Mogadishu, killing only civilians."
Rescue workers searched for survivors
trapped under the rubble of the largely
destroyed Safari Hotel, which is close to
Somalia's foreign ministry. The explosion
blew off metal gates and blast walls
erected outside the hotel.
The United States condemned the
bombing, saying "such cowardly attacks
reinvigorate the commitment of the
United States to assist our Somali and
African Union partners to combat the
scourge of terrorism." It tweeted a photo
of its charge d'affaires in Somalia
donating blood.
But the US Africa Command said US
forces had not been asked to provide aid.
A spokesman told The Associated Press
that first responders and local
enforcement would handle the response
and "the US would offer assistance if and
when a request was made."
The US military has stepped up drone
strikes and other efforts this year against
al-Shabab, which is also fighting the
Somali military and over 20,000 African
Union forces in the country.
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The United Nations special envoy to
Somalia called the attack "revolting,"
saying an unprecedented number of
civilians had been killed. Michael Keating
said the UN and African Union were
supporting the Somali government's
response with "logistical support, medical
supplies and expertise."
The spokesman for UN Secretary-General
Antonio Guterres strongly condemned
the attack and urged all Somalis to unite
against extremism and work together to
build a "functional" federal state.
Saturday's blast occurred two days after
the head of the US Africa Command was
in Mogadishu to meet with Somalia's
president, and two days after the
country's defense minister and army
chief resigned for undisclosed reasons.
Amid the chaos, the stories of victims
began to emerge. Amino Ahmed said one
of her friends, a female medical student,
was killed on the eve of her graduation.
The explosion also killed a couple
returning from a hospital after having
their first child, said Dahir Amin Jesow, a
Somali lawmaker.

http://mobile.newsnow.co.uk/h/World+News/Africa

A religion of peace at its best and helping humanity. For how long would this continues? May the good Lord continue to protect people out there and open their eyes to true peaceful religion

Islam loves Peace... A religion of peace...
They are being Ironic in that statement

We all know the fact.... Peace My foot

wickedness in Islamic places.

I cover my head with the blood of jesus

Somalia ......that name is synonymous with death and hardship.

Religion of piss at work

Western Europe and the USA will come to regret allowing hordes of Somali immigrants to swarm into their nations.

Somali culture is built around the Religion of Peace, in its most virulent and violent interpretation, meaning that Somalis atrophied brains can process little else besides killing, looting, burning and running about like mad savages, wreaking havoc. Somalis are also absolutely fearless, in that violent death is regarded in their strange culture as the ultimate privilege and benefit of war, reserved for those who are truly ready to bone 72 virgins in an imaginary paradise.

Allowing such wild and crazy people to immigrate into ANY previously safe and orderly nation, is a recipe for disaster, as the passage of time will surely illustrate.

Somali people love their violence and killing EVEN MORE than South Africans love their whisky, wine and gin. Do NOT allow Somali dogs of war to enter ANY country that hopes for a chance at enjoying lasting peace in the future.

And our Vegetable will not send Operation Python Dance Over there Buhari is a Terrorist El-Rufai

Islam have only brought sorrow,tears and blood to the entire world.
There is nothing to advance humanity in that useless,satanic book they read other than killing and shedding of blood.

The satanist man that claimed he is a prophet of god is a rapist and blood sucker.

He will burn in the hottest part of hell fire!