The Turkish Foreign Ministry strongly condemned a terrorist attack that killed 10 people in the Somali capital Mogadishu.
In a statement on Wednesday, the ministry said Turkey was saddened to receive the news of the deadly attack in the Wadajir district.
“We strongly condemn this heinous terrorist attack and extend our condolences to the friendly and brotherly people and Government of Somalia. We wish Allah’s mercy upon those who lost their lives and a speedy recovery to the injured,” the ministry said.
The ministry also said Turkey will continue to support Somalia’s fight against terrorism.
Turkey is one of Somalia’s closest foreign partners and is among several nations training soldiers to take over from the African peacekeeping force, AMISOM, whose troops are set to leave the country this year after 14 years.
Turkey’s vast aid effort at the height of the 2011 famine, when provided the African nation with over $400 million (TL 2.97 billion), endeared it to many Somali people. Turkey continues to pour in aid – much of it from private companies – and is helping build schools, hospitals and infrastructure and also provide scholarships for Somalis to study in Turkey.
Earlier this year, Ankara sent planeloads of medical equipment to help the country deal with the coronavirus pandemic. During some of the worst attacks in Mogadishu, Turkey has often flown the wounded to its country for treatment.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has visited Mogadishu several times. When he made his first trip there in 2011, he became the first non-African leader to visit the war-ravaged nation in 20 years.
