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Somalia blood appeal after Mogadishu truck bombing | Somalia blood appeal after Mogadishu truck bombing |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Somalia is appealing for blood to treat those wounded in Saturday's huge truck bombing in the capital, Mogadishu, which killed at least 281 people. | Somalia is appealing for blood to treat those wounded in Saturday's huge truck bombing in the capital, Mogadishu, which killed at least 281 people. |
Information Minister Abdirahman Osman told the BBC the death toll was likely to rise, and more help was needed. | Information Minister Abdirahman Osman told the BBC the death toll was likely to rise, and more help was needed. |
He said more than 300 people had been injured in Somalia's deadliest terror attack in 10 years, and more bodies were trapped under rubble. | He said more than 300 people had been injured in Somalia's deadliest terror attack in 10 years, and more bodies were trapped under rubble. |
Two planes of medial aid - from the US and Qatar - have landed in the capital. | Two planes of medial aid - from the US and Qatar - have landed in the capital. |
Turkey and Djibouti sent humanitarian assistance on Monday - and a Turkish military plane has taken 40 of the injured to Turkey for medical treatment. | Turkey and Djibouti sent humanitarian assistance on Monday - and a Turkish military plane has taken 40 of the injured to Turkey for medical treatment. |
Neighbouring Kenya also plans to airlift some of the victims for further treatment, and in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, hundreds of people been donating blood. | |
Queuing to give blood | |
By Bashkas Jugsodaay, BBC Africa, Nairobi | |
Young and old residents alike have been queuing here in Eastleigh, known as Nairobi's "Little Mogadishu, to give blood since the early in the morning. | |
This tragedy feels personal for the thousands of Somalis who have settled in the neighbourhood since fleeing the conflict in their home country. | |
Konsar Mohamed, 20, told me she lost a friend in the attack. "It hurts a lot. We used to laugh a lot... I want to tell him 'rest in peace my brother.'" | |
She says has donated blood because "this is the biggest gift I can give to my people". | |
Mr Osman blamed the Islamist al-Shabab group, which is allied to al-Qaeda, for the attack. | Mr Osman blamed the Islamist al-Shabab group, which is allied to al-Qaeda, for the attack. |
The minister thanked the hundreds of Mogadishu residents who had already donated blood. | The minister thanked the hundreds of Mogadishu residents who had already donated blood. |
Somalia does not have a blood bank, which was hampering some of the aid efforts, he told the Reuters news agency. | Somalia does not have a blood bank, which was hampering some of the aid efforts, he told the Reuters news agency. |
On Monday, 165 unidentified bodies were buried by the authorities. | On Monday, 165 unidentified bodies were buried by the authorities. |
There were burnt beyond recognition and there was no means of identifying them. | There were burnt beyond recognition and there was no means of identifying them. |
A youth group, with the help of the government, has started a social media campaign to raise money for the families of the victims and organise blood donations for the injured. | |
More about al-Shabab: | More about al-Shabab: |
Of those who were identified, one of the victims was a medical student due to graduate the next day. | Of those who were identified, one of the victims was a medical student due to graduate the next day. |
Maryam Abdullahi's father had flown to Mogadishu to attend her graduation but instead witnessed her burial. | Maryam Abdullahi's father had flown to Mogadishu to attend her graduation but instead witnessed her burial. |
The truck exploded at a busy junction, destroying hotels, government offices and restaurants. | The truck exploded at a busy junction, destroying hotels, government offices and restaurants. |
A 22,000-strong African Union force is in the country trying to help the government recapture territory from al-Shabab, whose fighters are active in much of rural southern Somalia. | A 22,000-strong African Union force is in the country trying to help the government recapture territory from al-Shabab, whose fighters are active in much of rural southern Somalia. |
Mr Osman said the UN-backed government had been calling for an easing of an arms embargo on Somalia for years. | Mr Osman said the UN-backed government had been calling for an easing of an arms embargo on Somalia for years. |
"Our security forces are not enabled to carry out sophisticated security operations that will stop such attacks," he told the BBC's Newsday programme. | "Our security forces are not enabled to carry out sophisticated security operations that will stop such attacks," he told the BBC's Newsday programme. |
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