Victims of Al-Shabaab hotel attack in Somalia airlifted to Turkey

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Victims of the Al-Shabaab terror attack in SYL Hotel have been lifted to Turkey for advanced treatment, Somalia said on Sunday while issuing a stern warning to the militants who control large swathes of rural central and southern regions of the country.

At least five Al-Shabaab militants opened an attack on the popular hotel on Thursday, killing three people and leaving several others badly injured. The attackers would later be neutralized by the elite forces, who ended the 13-hour siege in the facility.

On Sunday, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud bade farewell to dozens of victims, who were airlifted to Turkey for specialised treatment after referral from Mogadishu hospitals. The victims people sustained serious injuries during the ordeal.

"President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, accompanied by cabinet members, parliamentarians, and state representatives, oversaw the departure of 19 individuals injured in the SYL hotel tragedy from Adan Abdulle International Airport in Mogadishu. The victims are en route to Turkey to receive advanced medical care," state media reports.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud condemned the attack while promising to unleash it through coordinated operations across the country. The al-Shabaab did not immediately reveal the motive of the cowardly attack which has been condemned globally.

This was the first major attack in the country, following coordinated operations in central and southern regions spearheaded by the Somali National Army, the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and US Africa Command.

Somalia has pledged to eliminate the militants by the end of 2024, with the ATMIS contingent gradually exiting from the country. Somalia believes that the local defence forces are well-trained and equipped to undertake security responsibilities in the country.

GAROWE ONLINE