Six Killed in Suicide Bombing Outside Stadium in Somalia

Saturday, December 19, 2020

Somali soldiers patrol in a pickup truck near the site where Al Shabaab militants carried out a suicide attack against a military intelligence base in Mogadishu on June 21, 2015.

By Aggrey Mutambo

Senior Diplomatic Writer

Nation Media Group

The suicide bomber blew himself up at the gate of a football stadium where Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble was expected to address a crowd.

Several other soldiers and civilians were wounded.

Al-Shabaab militants on Friday claimed responsibility for a suicide bomb attack that killed at least six people and injured several others outside a stadium in Galkaayo, Galmudug State in central Somalia.

The suicide bomber blew himself up at the gate of a football stadium where Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble was expected to address a crowd.

Those who died in the attack include Gen Qooje Dagaare, the Central Commander of the Danab Brigade, Special Forces of the Somali National Army that is trained by the US.

A local government administrator and another junior commander of Danab forces also died in the attack that left several other soldiers and civilians were wounded.

Officials said that the attack may have targeted Mr Roble, who has been on a tour of central Somalia since Thursday.

“I strongly condemn the abominable act of terror that targeted our brave soldiers and innocent civilians in Galkayo today,” Roble said of the attack on Friday night.

“Our heroes gave their lives protecting our citizens. I pray for the martyrs, and condole their families. Terror and its evil has no place in our country,” the PM said.

The attack may have been Al-Shabaab’s statement against the government whose installations it routinely attacks in Somalia. But it also came as factions of Al-Shabaab allied with ISIS openly declared war on Al-Shabaab affiliated with al-Qaeda terror group.

Somalia is this month expected to hold parliamentary elections but the threat of Shabaab and frequent attacks have added to the challenge of ensuring a smooth vote.

The UN in Somalia also condemned the attack and called for those responsible to be brought to justice.