Mogadishu – Thousands of anguished Somalis have gathered to pray at the site of the country’s deadliest attack and to mourn the hundreds of victims.A sheikh leading the prayers said that “this pain will last for years”. More than 300 people were killed and nearly 400 wounded in Saturday’s truck bombing, with scores missing.Long lines of mourners stood in front of bombed-out buildings.
Somalia’s government has blamed the al-Shabaab extremist group for the attack.
Meanwhile, the US military said it carried out a drone strike this week against al-Shabaab in Somalia, shortly after the extremist group was blamed for the country’s deadliest attack.
The U.S. Africa Command tells The Associated Press that the strike occurred Monday about 35 miles (56 kilometers) southwest of the capital, Mogadishu. The U.S. says it is still assessing the results.
Saturday’s truck bombing in Mogadishu killed more than 300 people and wounded nearly 400 others.
The U.S. has carried out several drone strikes in the Horn of Africa nation since President Donald Trump approved expanded military operations against the group early this year.
Al-Shabab has not commented on the truck bombing, which Somali intelligence officials say was meant to target Mogadishu’s heavily fortified international airport. Several countries have embassies there.
