Source: www.persecution.org
Date: June 22, 2020
Somalia (International Christian Concern) – On Sunday, police and military officers said that, “at least seven people have died in two separate bomb attacks in southern and central Somalia. In the first incident, two bombs planted in front of the house of a military official in Wanlaweyn town, 90 km northwest of the capital Mogadishu, exploded late on Saturday, killing four people, including soldiers and civilians.” No group has claimed responsibility.
Such attacks are commonplace in Somalia, where Islamist militant organization al Shabaab have been waging a 12-year campaign to topple the central government. A police officer Mohamed Nur told Reuters that, “first we heard a blast at the house. The military officer was absent by then. Guards and residents came to find out what caused the blast and then a second blast went off.”
A military officer in the nearby town of Galkayo, Major Abdullahi Ahmed stated that, “in the second incident, three militants in a car carried out a suicide bomb attack at a military checkpoint in Bacadweyn town in central Somalia’s Galmudug state on Sunday.” Soldiers shot at the vehicle after its occupants ignored orders to stop. Three soldiers died and two others were wounded. A local elder Hassan Nur told Reuters, “they were afraid the attackers belonged al Shabaab, they have never attacked us. We were horrified this morning to witness a suicide car bomb. Government forces are a target but such attacks will not spare civilians.”
HOW TO PRAY: Pray for peace for the families that lost loved ones. Pray for an end to violence in Somalia. Pray for the bombers in these attacks to come to know Christ.