At least 300 people have been killed and over 200 wounded in a major attack by Islamic militants on a hotel in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu.
On Sunday, Pope Francis offered prayers for the victims of a deadly Islamic terrorist attack in Somalia. The attack, which took place on Saturday in the capital city of Mogadishu, killed at least 27 people and injured dozens more.
The Islamic terrorist group al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack, which targeted a popular hotel frequented by government officials and businessmen. This latest attack comes just weeks after al-Shabaab carried out a massive bombing in Mogadishu that killed over 350 people.
The Pope condemned the attacks as “senseless violence” and called on world leaders to do more to combat terrorism. He also urged Somalis to remain united in the face of adversity.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this horrific attack and their families.
“Pope Francis has expressed his solidarity with the people of Somalia following a terrorist attack that killed more than 300 people in the country. In a telegram sent to Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, the Pope said he was ‘deeply saddened’ by the news of the attack and offered his prayers for the victims and their families. He also called for peace and dialogue in Somalia, which has been plagued by violence for many years.
The Pope’s message came as Somali officials reported that a suicide bomber had detonated a truck bomb at a popular hotel in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. The blast caused extensive damage to the hotel and nearby buildings, and dozens of people were killed or wounded in the attack.
The Islamic terrorist group Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the bombing, saying it was retaliation for recent Somali military operations against the group. Al-Shabaab has carried out numerous attacks in Somalia and other countries in East Africa in recent years, killing hundreds of people.”
When faced with tragedy, many people turn to prayer as a source of hope. Pope Francis is no exception. After learning of the horrific Islamic terrorist attack in Somalia that left over 300 people dead, the Pope took to Twitter to share his condolences and offer up prayers for the victims and their families.
“I am deeply saddened by the news of the terrorist attack in Mogadishu,” he wrote. “I pray for the victims and their families, and I ask God to bring peace to Somalia.”
Pope Francis has been an outspoken critic of violence against innocent civilians, and has frequently called for prayer in the wake of terrorist attacks around the world. In 2015, after gunmen killed 12 people at the Charlie Hebdo magazine office in Paris, he urged people of all faiths to come together and pray for peace.
“No one can kill in the name of God,” he said at the time. “This is an aberration.”
The Pope’s message of hope and solidarity is especially important now, as tensions continue to rise between Muslims and non-Muslims in many parts of the world. His words remind us that we are all children of God, no matter what our beliefs may be, and that we must work together to end this cycle of violence.
