Turkey strongly condemns Somalia hotel bombing

Turkey strongly condemned Friday’s hotel bombing in Somalia, where at least 10 people were killed, including Somalian government officials and lawmakers.

The twin suicide blast targeted Central Hotel in Mogadishu, known to be frequented by Somali officials.

Seaports Minister Nur Hersi, Daljir Party chief Abdel-Shakour Adam and Mohamed Adam, first deputy to Mogadishu’s mayor, all succumbed to injuries they sustained during the blast, security sources told The Anadolu Agency.

Turkey’s foreign ministry offered condolences to the victims’ families and wished a fast recovery to the injured.

“This rascal attack, which targets Somalia’s future and peace, comes after the search for stability and development by the Somalian people,” the ministry said in a statement Friday. “The attack was during Friday prayer, which shows terror’s hateful face, disregarding all divine values.”

Deputy Prime Minister Mohamed Omar Arte and MP Abdel-Qader Ali Omar were also seriously injured in the blast, the sources added.

A radio station associated with the Al-Shabaab militant group quoted a senior group member as saying that the group was behind Friday’s “major operation.”

Al-Shabaab, which has launched an insurgency against Somalia in recent years, has recently suffered several significant blows, losing most of its strongholds in southern and central Somalia to government and African Union troops.

Several group members have also recently been killed in U.S. drone strikes.

The group, however, has continued to launch deadly attacks on government officials and security troops.