Thousands of Somali’s crammed into the Conis Stadium in the capital city of Mogadishu on Wednesday, to join the nation’s president, prime minister and the city’s mayor in condemning Saturday’s bombing which has been described as the deadliest terror attack in the country, leaving more than 300 people.
President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed had on Saturday declared a three-day mourning and joined thousands of people who responded to a desperate plea by hospitals to donate blood for the wounded victims. “I am appealing all Somali people to come forward and donate,” he said.
Saturday’s attack was the deadliest in Somalia’s decade-long battle against Al-Shabab. The group has not claimed responsibility for the bombing—experts say it may be concerned about damaging its reputation with civilians due to the high death toll—but it bears the hallmarks of an attack by the insurgents, who regularly launch vehicle-borne suicide bombs in Mogadishu.
