Words by Fatima Barrie
Mogadishu, capital of East African country Somalia, was the center of a deadly double car bomb attack on Saturday. The horrific blast occurred in the Madina district and outside the Safari Hotel, when a truck full of explosives detonated, leaving at least 231 people dead and over 300 people injured. BBC News reports the bombing is, “the deadliest terror attack in Somalia since the Islamist al-Shabab group launched its insurgency in 2007.”
The explosion has destroyed and damaged surrounding buildings including Qatar’s Embassy, and an uncountable number of people are buried under the rubble. According to the Associated Press, Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed Farmaajo has declared three days observation of mourning for the nation. He tweeted the urgency of blood donations for victims of the blast, “I call on our citizens to come out, extend help, donate blood and comfort the bereaved. Let’s get through this together.”
The Somali government believes that islamist extremists al-Shabab responsible for the country’s 2007 attack are to blame. Devastating photos and videos show families desperately looking for their loved ones. The death toll is expected to rise as rescue workers continue their search.
