By: Matt Owczarz
The death toll from a deadly truck bombing on Saturday in Somalia’s capital has risen to more than 300 people.
The bombing occurred on a crowded street in Mogadishu, where approximately another 300 people were also injured in the blast.
This is the deadliest attack in the Horn of Africa nation.
Hospitals are overwhelmed in providing medical care for the wounded victims and some of the injured are being airlifted to Turkey for treatment as international aid arrives.
Somalia’s president Mohamed Abdullahi “Farmaajo” Mohamed called for the Somali people to join the ongoing emergency mission after attending Erdogan Hospital.
Countries including Kenya and Turkey have offered medical aid and support.
Minister of Health of #Turkey arrives in #Mogadishu as a solidarity with victims of the barbaric attack on 14 October 2017 – Turkey has won the hearts and minds of Somali people by providing direct support that is visible and genuine pic.twitter.com/PZ3etGu3LM
— Abdirahman O. Osman (@engyarisow) October 16, 2017
Minister of Health of Djibouti arrives in #Mogadishu to support victims of the 14 October attack by terrorists pic.twitter.com/rFs10yU3GV
— Abdirahman O. Osman (@engyarisow) October 16, 2017
#UPDATE: #Turkey has started airlifting victims of truck bombing in #Mogadishu. #Somalia. #MogadishuTruckBomb pic.twitter.com/n1sjdMlkmB
— Live From Somalia (@Tuuryare_Africa) October 16, 2017
Aamin Ambulance is a free ambulance service made up of members of the public who have been working diligently to deliver aid to Somalis in the region. A GoFundMe page has been started to raise donations.
We offered 4 ambulance vehicles to transport most heavily wounded people to the Airport, whereby the Turkish Military Plane will take them. pic.twitter.com/9VDKs4JcAq
— Aamin Ambulance (@AaminAmbulance) October 16, 2017
#Update: @AaminAmbulance transported 250 injuries, and approximately 75 dead bodies. pic.twitter.com/JZZdIDW1qm
— Aamin Ambulance (@AaminAmbulance) October 15, 2017
The U.S. Mission to Somalia spoke out on Twitter with a statement and asked volunteers to donate blood for bombing victims.
#MogadishuisMourning #PrayForMogadishu https://t.co/psyaXOupaR
— U.S. Mission-Somalia (@US2SOMALIA) October 16, 2017
#Mogadishu hospitals critically need blood for bombing victims. Please donate if you can. @US2SOMALIA Charge d’Affaires gave blood pic.twitter.com/rnUZi9Tx55
— U.S. Mission-Somalia (@US2SOMALIA) October 16, 2017
Politicians worldwide have taken to Twitter to both condemn the attacks and to offer their condolences.
The attacks in Somalia are horrifying & Canada condemns them strongly. We mourn with the Canadian Somali community today.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) October 15, 2017
My heart aches for Somalia. Let’s keep all those impacted by the violence in Mogadishu in our thoughts and prayers
— Jagmeet Singh (@theJagmeetSingh) October 15, 2017
The Toronto sign will be lit in the colours of Somalia’s flag today in memory of the innocent victims of terrorism in Mogadishu. Our thoughts are with Somalia.
— John Tory (@JohnTory) October 16, 2017
UK condemns #Somalia terror attack. My thoughts are w/ victims, their families & the people of Somalia at this difficult time @UKinSomalia
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) October 15, 2017
The #MogadishuTruckBomb attack – shocking in scale, desperately sad in terms of the individuals whose lives have been senselessly cut short https://t.co/Ut8KGitqBR
— David Concar (@DConcar) October 15, 2017
We lost Mohamoud Elmi, the Director General of Humanitarian Affairs @MoHADM_Somalia. He was one of the hardest working members of our team –
— Dr. Maryan Qasim (@DrMaryanQasim) October 15, 2017