Tuesday June 15, 2021
Mogadishu (HOL) - The Commander of the Somali National Army, General Odowa Yusuf Rage, said that Al-Shabaab carried out Tuesday's suicide attack that targeted a military training facility in Mogadishu.
Gen Odawa gave a brief press conference where he said the attack was carried out by an Al-Shabaab operative wearing a suicide vest and intermingling with young recruits who wanted to join the Gorgor army.
"God have mercy on them. Ten youths who wanted to join the armed forces were killed this morning, and 20 others were injured outside the checkpoint at General Dhagabadan military base. The youths were waiting to be searched before the suicide bomber detonated his vest." General Odowa Yusuf Rage, the country's army chief, told the media.
General Odowa Yusuf sent his condolences to the families of the victims.
The general said that the injured recruits were taken to medical facilities in Mogadishu for treatment.
Since the general's statement, witnesses at Medina hospital have updated the body count to at least 15.
Al-Shabaab has claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing.
A spokesperson from Al Shabaab said that at least 40 soldiers were killed in the suicide attack on General Dhagabadan camp in the Wadajir district.
The militant insurgency group said they targeted the youths because they intended to join the national army.
Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab has been waging war against Somalia's internationally-backed federal government since being ousted from the capital and major population centres in 2011.