Somalis mark one year since October truck bombing

Somalis from all walks of life are converging this morning at Zoope Junction the scene of the deadly truck bombing which claimed over 500 lives to mark a year since the terror attack.

Major roads in the city have been sealed off as security forces and volunteers frisk people attending the event.

Speaking during the event, Prime Minister Hassan Khaire lambasted the militant group and warned Somali families from sending their children to join the group.

“Al-Shabaab do not send their children to the frontline but instead they send them to study abroad. You must not allow your children to be used for such activities,” the PM said.

UN Special Envoy for Somalia Nicholas Haysom described the attack as a war crime. “It was the deadliest ever terrorist attack in Africa, and such terrorist attacks amount to a war crime,” said Haysom.

The attack which has been described the most deadly in the country’s history and the continent maimed hundreds and reduced well over 2,000 children into orphans.

The militant group Al-Shabaab which is largely blamed for the attack did not take credit for the attack in what analysts said they feared it would dent their public image.