New Delhi: At least 276 people have now been confirmed killed in Saturday’s double car bombing in Mogadishu. This attack is the deadliest incident in Somalia’s modern history.
Announcing the latest death toll on Monday, Somalia’s Ministry of Information said 300 people remained in hospitals after the October 14 attack.
The number of casualties may rise as rescuers continue to pull more bodies from the rubble, the Ministry said.
The Office of the President on Sunday announced the nation is in three days of mourning, with the national flag lowered at half-staff to honor those killed.
So far, no group has come forward to claim responsibility.
The first explosion destroyed dozens of stalls and the popular Safari Hotel in the heart of the city.
According to a statement from its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Qatar’s Embassy was also damaged and the embassy’s charge d’affaires suffered minor injuries.
Mogadishu has witnessed high levels of violence for years. Al-Shabaab, an al Qaeda-linked terror group, has carried out several deadly car bomb attacks in the city.
The city was once controlled by Al-Shabaab but they have lost much of their territory in recent years because of coordinated attacks by African Union forces and Somali Army. The American air support has played a crucial role in these attacks. United States Special Operations forces have launched 15 airstrikes against Shabaab leaders, fighters and training camps since the beginning of the year, including five strikes last month, according to The Long War Journal, which tracks American strikes against militants in Africa.
Some of the militants have proclaimed allegiance to Al Qaeda, while others support the Islamic State.
According to reports from the United Nations, the country is also facing a severe drought, and 3.1 million people are threatened by famine because of the food shortages and violence.
