Photo Credit: AU-UN IST PHOTO / STUART PRICE
In Mogadishu, Somalia, this photo released by the African Union-United Nations Information Support Team on Aug. 6, 2012, shows a general view of a mosque opposite the parliament building in the Somali capital Mogadishu.

Mogadishu Mayor Abdirahman Omar was among the injured Wednesday when a suicide bomber attacked the local government headquarters in the capital city of Somalia, a victim’s relative told Reuters.

According to the source, the blast injured “many local officials” including the mayor. “A suicide bomber walked into the meeting hall and blew himself up,” he said.

Advertisement




Although Al Shabaab was not specifically named, it is likely the Al-Qaeda-affiliated group was involved in the attack.

Al-Shabaab has been terrorizing the Somali capital for months, and carried out additional bombings earlier this week, leaving dozens dead and injured.

The group has fought for more than a decade to overthrow the current, internationally-backed government in Somalia. Al-Shabaab pledged allegiance to Al-Qaeda in 2010 and carries out attacks in neighboring Kenya as well.

Israel and Somalia do not have diplomatic ties, and earlier this year a top senior Somali diplomat Abdullahi Dool was fired for publicly urging his country to establish formal relations with the Jewish State. Dool, who served as director of the Somali foreign minister’s office until forced to flee for his life, has since endured ongoing internet threats and abuse from the pro-Palestinian Authority sector in Somalia.


Share this article on WhatsApp:
Advertisement

SHARE
Previous articleNever Too Late To Say I’m Sorry
Next articleEXCLUSIVE: Not Only in Summer Camps – How Hamas Exploits Children During the Riots on the Gaza Border
Hana Levi Julian is a Middle East news analyst with a degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from Southern Connecticut State University. A past columnist with The Jewish Press and senior editor at Arutz 7, Ms. Julian has written for Babble.com, Chabad.org and other media outlets, in addition to her years working in broadcast journalism.