Mogadishu: Sept 29: Twin bomb blasts shook Mogadishu and the Middle Shabelle region of Somalia on Saturday, resulting in the tragic loss of at least six lives and leaving 10 others injured, according to police reports cited by Voice of America. The explosions took place at two different locations—one near the National Theatre in Mogadishu, approximately a kilometre from the president’s office, and the other at a livestock market in Jowhar city.
“An explosives-laden vehicle, which was parked on the road near a restaurant in the busy Hamar Weyne district, went off. I could see the dead bodies of at least three people, two of them women,” Mohamed Haji Nur, a witness, told VOA.
Tragedy hit Jowhar city in Somalia’s Middle Shabelle region when a bomb exploded at a livestock market, killing one civilian and injuring three others, according to Jowhar police commander Bashir Hassan. The perpetrators of the attacks were not immediately identified. However, the Islamist militant group al-Shabab, known for carrying out bombings and gun assaults in Mogadishu, is a suspected culprit, according to VOA. Meanwhile, during his address at the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly on Friday, Somalia’s Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre condemned Ethiopia’s attempts to annex parts of Somalia and called for international support to protect his country’s sovereignty.
The Prime Minister emphasized that while global conflicts require attention, regional threats must not be ignored, specifically pointing to the dangers posed by Ethiopia’s recent actions, which he described as violations of Somalia’s territorial integrity. He condemned Ethiopia’s efforts to annex parts of Somalia and urged for international support to safeguard Somalia’s sovereignty.
He further stressed the urgent need for sustainable funding for peacekeeping efforts, especially in Somalia, where African Union forces have been crucial in the fight against terrorism. The Prime Minister called on the international community to back innovative funding strategies to ensure the continued success of these missions.
