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Saudi Arabia, Egypt Condemn Mogadishu Terror Attack | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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A man walks past an ambulance and armed security forces at the scene of an attack outside an hotel in Mogadishu, Somalia June 14, 2017. (REUTERS Photo)


Saudi Arabia and Egypt on Wednesday condemned the terrorist attack which targeted a restaurant in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, killing 19 and wounding at least 30 people.

An official source at the Saudi foreign ministry expressed Saudi Arabia’s strong condemnation.

In a statement to Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the source offered the Kingdom’s condolences to the families of the victims and to the Government and people of Somalia, wishing a speedy recovery to the wounded. The official source also reaffirmed the Kingdom’s solidarity with the Somali Republic.

The Egyptian foreign ministry stressed in a statement today the Egyptian government and people’s stand with the government and people of brotherly Somalia in the face of abhorrent terrorism which aims at the security and stability of Somalia and the rebuilding of its institutions.

A suicide car bombing and assault by Shabaab militants on two neighboring restaurants in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu ended Thursday morning, a government spokesman said.

The attack Wednesday night began with a suicide car bombing at the gate of the restaurant. The blast largely destroyed the restaurant’s facade and sparked a fire at the restaurant.

“The suicide bomber drove a car loaded with explosives into the building,” said Ali Mohamed, a police official, identifying the target as the Posh Treats restaurant.

The Shabaab has been fighting for the last decade to overthrow successive internationally-backed governments in Mogadishu and has also launched attacks in Kenya and Uganda, both contributors to a 22,000-strong African Union force in the country.