TLTP
\nMOGADISHU
\nThe Somali government and the UN have condemned Friday\u2019s terrorist attack in Mudug region of central Somalia where Prime Minister Mohamed Roble was due to address a gathering.
\nIn separate statements, President Mohamed Farmajo, Roble and the UN secretary-general\u2019s special representative for Somalia James Swan said the attacks will not deter efforts to stabilize the Horn of African nation.
\n\u201cThe terrorist attack in Galkayo shows the intent of the enemies of the Somali people who are intent on massacring our people in general,\u201d Farmajo said in a statement issued on Friday evening.
\nFarmajo wished the injured citizens a speedy recovery and noted that a united Somali people will defeat al-Shabab.
\nThe explosion went off as hundreds of people had gathered at the Abdullahi Isse Stadium in the city of Galkayo, located in Mudug region, ahead of a planned appearance there by Roble. The bomber was targeting the country\u2019s prime minister who was not on the scene at the time of the attack.
\nFarmajo\u2019s statement comes as the government clarified that ten people, including three senior military officers and seven civilians, were killed when a suicide bomber wearing a suicide vest blew himself up outside the stadium ahead of a visit by the country\u2019s prime minister.
\nThe prime minister who was the target in the attack sent his deepest condolences to the families and friends of the victims of the terrorist attack in Galkayo. \u201cI say to the terrorists who carried out this act, your attacks will never discourage us and will not stop the movement of the Somali people and government for lasting peace and strong nationhood,\u201d Roble said in a statement.
\nHe called on the Somalis to unite against terrorism in order to foster peace and development of Somalia.
\nAl-Shabab terror group which has been fighting to overthrow the Western-backed government claimed responsibility for the latest attack in the central town of Galkayo, saying their target was the prime minister.
\nOn his part, the UN envoy paid tribute to the security officials who tirelessly work for the safety and security of all Somalis and called for those responsible to be brought to justice.
\n\u201cThis reprehensible act is an attack against all the people and leaders of North and South Galkayo who have worked so hard to keep the peace there in recent years,\u201d said Swan in the statement.
\nSwan extended the UN condolences to the families of the victims, and wished a speedy recovery for the injured.
\n\u201cWe applaud the people of Galkayo for standing firm in the face of such an outrage and believe that such heinous violence will not deter them, nor their fellow Somalis, from continuing on their path of peace, reconciliation and stability,\u201d he added.
\nThe extremists have recently increased their attacks across the country.
\nThe Horn of Africa nation was due to hold parliamentary and presidential elections between December and February 2021.
\nThe terror group was driven out of Mogadishu by Somali army and African Union forces in 2011 but the group still carries out several attacks in Mogadishu and rural areas in the central and southern region.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
TLTP MOGADISHU The Somali government and the UN have condemned Friday\u2019s terrorist attack in Mudug region of central Somalia where Prime Minister Mohamed Roble was due to address a gathering. In separate statements, President Mohamed Farmajo, Roble and the UN secretary-general\u2019s special representative for Somalia James Swan said the attacks will not deter efforts to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-163146","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-world"],"yoast_head":"\n