European Union Commission has said that the recent attacks by terrorist group al-Shabaab against civilian targets in Somalia, reinforce longstanding commitment of the European Union to stand by the Federal Government and Somali citizens in their fight against terrorism.
According to the statement released by the Commission on Saturday, stated that resorting to heinous attacks on citizens underlines the desperation of the extremists and the immense pressure they face from the Government and international partners alike.
The statement reads: “The recent attacks by terrorist group al-Shabaab against civilian targets in Somalia only reinforce longstanding commitment of the European Union to stand by the Federal Government and Somali citizens in their fight against terrorism.
“Resorting to heinous attacks on citizens underlines the desperation of the extremists and the immense pressure they face from Government and international partners alike”, the statement said.
At least 20 people, most of them civilians, were killed in a suicide car bomb attack on Saturday at a checkpoint in Beledweyne town in central Somalia, local officials said.
The explosion occurred near a market and two petrol stations, causing massive destruction, said Beledweyne District Commissioner Omar Alasow.
He added that security forces and medical teams are on the ground to support the victims of the suicide bomb attack. “We are still gathering details related to the terrorist attack.
“The casualties are significant, and we are transporting the victims to local hospitals. If they cannot treat the serious casualties, we will try to airlift them to Mogadishu for further treatment,” Alasow told local reporters.
Though, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but the al-Shabab extremist group usually stages such attacks in Mogadishu and elsewhere across Somalia.