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| Somalia bomb attacks: Death toll rises to 85 in twin blasts in Mogadishu | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The death toll from two bomb attacks, one of which tore through a busy junction outside the Safari Hotel in the heart of Somalia's capital Mogadishu, has risen to 85. | The death toll from two bomb attacks, one of which tore through a busy junction outside the Safari Hotel in the heart of Somalia's capital Mogadishu, has risen to 85. |
| It has become one of the deadliest attacks in the country since Islamist militants launched an insurgency in 2007. | It has become one of the deadliest attacks in the country since Islamist militants launched an insurgency in 2007. |
| Police said a truck bomb exploded outside the Safari Hotel at the K5 intersection, which is lined with government offices, restaurants and kiosks, flattening buildings and setting vehicles on fire. A separate blast struck the Medina district two hours later. | Police said a truck bomb exploded outside the Safari Hotel at the K5 intersection, which is lined with government offices, restaurants and kiosks, flattening buildings and setting vehicles on fire. A separate blast struck the Medina district two hours later. |
| More than 60 were injured in the explosion outside of the hotel and hospitals are struggling to cope with the high number of casualties. | More than 60 were injured in the explosion outside of the hotel and hospitals are struggling to cope with the high number of casualties. |
| Officials feared the death toll would continue to climb. | Officials feared the death toll would continue to climb. |
| Many victims died at hospitals from their wounds, Police Captain Mohamed Hussein said. | Many victims died at hospitals from their wounds, Police Captain Mohamed Hussein said. |
| President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed has joined thousands of people who responded to a desperate plea by hospitals to donate blood for the wounded victims. | President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed has joined thousands of people who responded to a desperate plea by hospitals to donate blood for the wounded victims. |
| Somalia's government blamed the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabaab extremist group for the attack it called a "national disaster." However, al-Shabaab, which often targets high-profile areas of the capital with bombings, had yet to claim the attack. | Somalia's government blamed the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabaab extremist group for the attack it called a "national disaster." However, al-Shabaab, which often targets high-profile areas of the capital with bombings, had yet to claim the attack. |
| "They don't care about the lives of Somali people, mothers, fathers and children," Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire said. | "They don't care about the lives of Somali people, mothers, fathers and children," Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire said. |
| "They have targeted the most populated area in Mogadishu, killing only civilians." | "They have targeted the most populated area in Mogadishu, killing only civilians." |
| Somalia's information minister, Abdirahman Omar, said the blast was the largest the city had ever seen. "It's a sad day. This how merciless and brutal they are, and we have to unite against them," he said, speaking to the state-run radio station. | Somalia's information minister, Abdirahman Omar, said the blast was the largest the city had ever seen. "It's a sad day. This how merciless and brutal they are, and we have to unite against them," he said, speaking to the state-run radio station. |
| Overnight, rescue workers with torch lights searched for any survivors trapped under the rubble of the Safari Hotel, which was largely destroyed. | Overnight, rescue workers with torch lights searched for any survivors trapped under the rubble of the Safari Hotel, which was largely destroyed. |
| The hotel is close to Somalia's foreign ministry. The blast blew off metal gates and blast walls erected outside the hotel. | The hotel is close to Somalia's foreign ministry. The blast blew off metal gates and blast walls erected outside the hotel. |