MOGADISHU, Somalia (AA): The death toll in Wednesday’s twin suicide attacks in central Somalia has climbed to 35, including both civilians and soldiers, with another 72 people wounded.<\/p>\n
Two suicide bombers of the al-Shabaab terrorist group targeted two residential buildings in Mahas, a town in Somalia’s Hiran region, early on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The growing casualty count was confirmed on Thursday by Mumin Mohamed Halane, the town’s mayor, whose house was targeted along with the residence of federal parliamentarian Mahamed Abuukar Jacfar.<\/p>\n
Halane told Anadolu Agency that his young son suffered serious injuries in the attack and was airlifted to the Somalia-Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan Hospital the capital Mogadishu.<\/p>\n
Other victims include nine members of a single family, he said.<\/p>\n
“We have buried more than 30 people. Some of the bodies are beyond recognition,” said Halane.<\/p>\n
He said the attackers are believed to have entered Mahas, which lies some 310 kilometers (190 miles) north of Mogadishu, from the bordering region of Galgadud.<\/p>\n
Mohamed Ali, a resident of Mahas, told Anadolu Agency that he lost family members and friends in the attack.<\/p>\n
“Yesterday was the worst day of my life. The explosion was the deadliest I have ever seen,” he said.<\/p>\n
Al-Shabaab has claimed it killed more than 80 people, including senior military officials, and wounded another 130 in the bombings.<\/p>\n
This was the al-Qaeda affiliate’s deadliest attack since the beginning of the year, and came as Somali forces, backed by local militias, are carrying out a major offensive against the terror group in the region.<\/p>\n
Somalia has been plagued by insecurity for years, with al-Shabaab being one of the main threats.<\/p>\n
It has waged a deadly campaign against the Somali government and international forces since at least 2007, claiming thousands of lives.<\/p>\n
The UN has warned of growing instability in the country, with periodic reports last year detailing attacks by al-Shabaab and pro-Daesh\/ISIS terror groups.<\/p>\n
There were at least 1,518 civilian casualties – 651 killed and 867 injured – in terror attacks in Somalia in 2018, followed by 1,459 – 591 killed and 868 injured – in 2019, according to UN estimates.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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