Somali Parliamentary Speaker Marks Ninth Anniversary of Mogadishu Truck Bombing

MOGADISHU — Somalia’s parliamentary speaker, Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur Jama, on Wednesday attended a commemoration at the Soobe intersection in Mogadishu marking the ninth anniversary of a devastating truck bombing that killed hundreds of people.

The attack, carried out on October 14, 2017, was one of the deadliest incidents in Somalia’s history. The blast devastated the busy intersection and left a lasting scar on the country.

Speaking at the memorial ceremony, Jama described October 14 as a day of national grief, saying the tragedy would remain forever in the hearts of the Somali people.

He said the bombing had killed hundreds of innocent civilians, describing the attack as a brutal massacre that inflicted deep sorrow on the nation.

Jama offered prayers for those who lost their lives, asking Allah to grant them paradise and to give their bereaved families patience and faith.

The anniversary comes as Somalia continues to grapple with the security threat posed by Al-Shabaab, the Al-Qaeda-linked militant group that has carried out numerous attacks in the country.

The 2017 bombing caused widespread devastation in Mogadishu and prompted an outpouring of public anger and grief, with Somalis gathering in solidarity with the victims and their families.