Saturday 14th of October was hell on earth for many of the Mogadishu residents, as one of the biggest terrorist attacks in the globe this year occurred in their homestead.
Last Saturday, Al-Shabaab ignited a truck full of explosions in the heart of Mogadishu, killing hundreds of innocent lives, leaving other injured and in need of blood.
Over 300 injured and 276 lives claimed, infrastructure becoming rubble in seconds, Mogadishu needed immediate help. While Somalia did receive assistance through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) – particularly Somali Red Cresent Society, there has been documented assistance from countries within the continent.
Under African Union leadership and the African Union Mission in Somalia(AMISOM), member states are responding to the attack in aid and human capital. Under the framework of the African Solidarity initiative of 2014, AMISOM troop and Police Contributing Countries such as Burundi and Uganda have donated blood for the victims of the attack.
Djibouti has deployed 30 medical doctors to Mogadishu to provide assistance, while Kenya has airlifted 31 seriously injured people for immediate medical assistance. Kenya has further donated an assortment of medical supplies to help treat victims. The supplies were airlifted from Kenya and handed over to the Minister of Health and Social Services, Fawziya Abikar yesterday. In presence was Kenyan Ambassador to Somalia, Retired Maj. Gen. Lucas Tumbo.
After condemning the attack, Ambassador Tumbo noted that Kenya will be taking 26 patients to be admitted to Kenyatta National Hospital, furthermore – patients with spinal injuries will be sent to the National Spinal Injury Hospital in Nairobi.
Survivors still need more blood, according to lieutenant General Osman Noor Soubagleh, leader of the blood donation drive at the ASIMOM force headquarters. Urging both civilians to show in large numbers to donate blood to bomb victims. “As AMISOM, it’s a good and simple thing to donate blood; but we are ready to sacrifice our blood and lives,” he said.
As Somalia shares borders with Kenya, Djibouti, Gulf of Aden and Ethiopia, it’s still in need of more continental response with regards to peace and security.
