Somali President vows revenge against al-Shabab after deadly blast

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Somali President vows revenge against al-Shabab after deadly blast

By Mohamed Odowa
Updated

Mogadishu: As tens of thousands of people took to the streets in Somalia to show their frustration with repeated terrorist attacks, its government hailed the Turkish as the only other people who cared about a truck bombing who killed almost 300 last weekend.

Protesters wore red bands around their arms and heads in support of the families of the victims of the most recent attack by Islamic terrorist group al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda affiliate. Some carried placards addressed at al-Shabab that read "stop killing innocent people".

"We are telling [al-Shabab] that we are ready to take up arms and fight them from now on," a 16-year-old protester said in Mogadishu.

The march took the people through the capital, Mogadishu, and to a rally at its Konis stadium, where President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed Farmajo vowed the government would soon take revenge on those behind the attack.

Afrah Ibrahim, centre, searches through the clothes of the dead for a clue to his missing sister outside a hospital in Mogadishu.

Afrah Ibrahim, centre, searches through the clothes of the dead for a clue to his missing sister outside a hospital in Mogadishu.Credit: AP

Speaking before thousands of protesters, the President called on Somalis to unite to kick al-Shabab out of the country.

"This massacre was far from humanity and shows the ruthless of al-Shabab. ... We have to unite to defend our people."

He promised the creation of a new task force to take on the group.

"We must get ready to go at front lines and I will be the first person to enlist for the new task force," the president said as he laid out plans.

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Protesters march on Wednesday with placards reading "Out al- Shabab", left, and "Oh God, have mercy on the dead" near the scene of Saturday's massive truck bombing in Mogadishu.

Protesters march on Wednesday with placards reading "Out al- Shabab", left, and "Oh God, have mercy on the dead" near the scene of Saturday's massive truck bombing in Mogadishu.Credit: AP

Demonstrations against the extremists also took place in Somalia's Puntland, Jubaland and Galmudug regions.

At least 281 people were killed and 300 others injured when a suicide bomber detonated a truck filled with explosives at a busy intersection in Mogadishu on Saturday. It was the deadliest single attack in the volatile East African nation's history.

A Somali girl looking for her missing younger sister stands outside the mortuary of a hospital in Mogadishu.

A Somali girl looking for her missing younger sister stands outside the mortuary of a hospital in Mogadishu.Credit: AP

Before detonating the truck he was driving, the suicide bomber had raced along a Mogadishu street at high speed, rolling over motorcycles and cars and shunting vehicles stuck in traffic. Farmajo called the attack a national tragedy.

Within 48 hours of the huge twin explosions, a Turkish air ambulance had landed in the battle-scarred capital and picked up dozens of wounded Somalis to transport them to Turkey for free medical treatment.

Somali women wait for news of their missing relatives outside a hospital ward in Mogadishu two days after the attack.

Somali women wait for news of their missing relatives outside a hospital ward in Mogadishu two days after the attack.Credit: AP

Its health minister also sent surgeons who set to work at once in hospitals alongside Somali doctors and nurses.

Ankara has invested heavily in Somalia over the past five years, with one eye on rich economic pickings should stability ever return and the other on burnishing President Tayyip Erdogan's image of Turkey as a global promoter of compassionate Islam.

Somalis bury a victim who died in Saturday's truck blast, in Mogadishu's Medina hospital graveyard.

Somalis bury a victim who died in Saturday's truck blast, in Mogadishu's Medina hospital graveyard.Credit: Farah Abdi Warsameh

"Turkey is the best friend to Somalia and they were the first supporter to us after the blast," said Abdiasis Ahmed, a jobless university graduate who said four friends had been airlifted out, one with a broken back.

Many Somalis contrasted Ankara's response with that of the European Union, which has a naval force including combat ships equipped with emergency medical systems off Mogadishu's shore to deter piracy, but which did not take in casualties.

A Somali man looking for news of his missing brother looks at grave boards at a cemetery in Mogadishu on Tuesday.

A Somali man looking for news of his missing brother looks at grave boards at a cemetery in Mogadishu on Tuesday.Credit: AP

"I've heard a lot of complaints from Somalis saying 'There's a huge Western navy on our shores - why can't those people come to help us?'," said Rashid Abdi, a Nairobi-based Somalia analyst at International Crisis Group, a think-tank.

A spokesman for the EU mission in Nairobi had no immediate comment, although a Tweet from the naval force on Wednesday said it was providing "vital medical aid" for the victims.

Senior officials also compared the speed and scale of Turkey's assistance with that of Somalia's foreign partners, including neighbours Kenya and Djibouti, and the United States and United Nations.

Mogadishu Mayor Thabit Mohamed tweeted on Monday that he was grateful for Turkey's "immediate response" and "relief for victims", compared with a "Thanks for standing with #Mogadishu" tweet 24 hours later aimed at the US Embassy. (An American military plane did land in Mogadishu with medical and humanitarian aid supplies on Tuesday.)

"Turkey is always first to help us. They are our only genuine brother," Information Minister Abdirahman Omar Osman said, recalling a personal visit by Mr Erdogan in 2011, when Somalia was in the grip of famine. "Their support is visible to everyone".

Police said they have made several arrests in relation to the bombing, but did not provide further details.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack but many suspect al-Shabab, a militant group seeking an Islamist state in Somalia.

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A 22,000-strong African Union force supports the Somali military in its fight against the terrorists. French President Emmanuel Macron recently launched the Sahel force, a military and peace keeping alliance with five African nations to combat terrorism.

DPA, Reuters

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