Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Mogadishu and other major Somali cities on Wednesday, condemning those behind the massive explosion that killed nearly 300 people and wounded more than 400 others.

The Mogadishu protest came in response to a call from the city’s mayor for a massive rally to pray for those killed and injured in Saturday’s truck bombing, which the government blames on Islamist militant group al-Shabab.

Ahead of the rally, young men wearing red headbands forced businesses to shut down.

 

The demonstrators, chanting slogans such as “Down the enemy. … Down al-Shabab,” later gathered at city’s Banadir soccer stadium, where President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed  and other leaders joined them.

The president urged Somalis to take up arms for what he called a tough war with al-Shabab.

“It is time for us to unite and I call for all Somalis to join hands together in the fight against the common enemy,” he said.

He extended a similar invitation to political leaders. “I call for the politicians who have relationships with foreign countries to put our differences aside and join us in the fight against the militants,” he said.

Mogadishu Mayor Taabit Abdi Mohamed said “Somali people must be ready for a war to liberate this city.”

From the stadium, the demonstrators marched to the scene of Saturday’s blast to hold a memorial ceremony for the victims.

Other rallies took place Wednesday in Baidoa, Beledweyne and Dhusamareeb.

Still no claim

Al-Shabab has not claimed responsibility for Saturday’s blast, the deadliest terrorist attack in Somalia’s history.

Over the last ten years, the group has bombed dozens of hotels, restaurants and other targets in Mogadishu, as part of its campaign to topple the government and install a strict version of Islamic law in Somalia.

Among those killed in the attack was Ahmed Abdikarin Eyow, a leader of the Somali community in Minnesota who helped organize a VOA Town Hall with then-President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud last year ago in Minneapolis, and freelance Somali cameraman Ali Nur Siad.

Siad was on assignment with Abdulkadir Mohamed Abdulle, a stringer for VOA’s Somali Service.

Abdulle was seriously wounded in the attack and airlifted to a Turkish hospital on Monday for treatment.

At the Vatican Wednesday, Pope Francis prayed for the victims of the Mogadishu bombing, as well as for “the conversion of the violent” during his weekly audience in St. Peter’s Square.

Hassan Qoyste contributed to this report.
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