PA ImagesFor the last few weeks the news agenda has been dominated by one story, the allegations of Harvey Weinstein’s sexual misconduct.
And while no one can deny the allegations are sickening if true, it’s important to remember that across the world other tragedies are unfolding. Tragedies like the bomb blast in the Somalian capital Mogadishu yesterday.
The explosion, which killed 231 and injured at least 275 people, is believed to have been caused by a truck bomb that targeted a busy street near key ministries detonating.
PA ImagesThe blast is the deadliest single attack ever in the African nation and Somalia’s government has blamed the Al Qaida-linked al-Shabab terrorist organisation for the bomb, going so far as to call it a ‘national disaster’.
Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire said:
They don’t care about the lives of Somali people, mothers, fathers and children. They have targeted the most populated area in Mogadishu, killing only civilians.
ITV reports that while security forces had been following the truck after it raised suspicions, they couldn’t stop the attack.
Doctors across the city have reportedly struggled to deal with the wounded many of who have suffered serious burns and officials fear that the death toll will continue to rise.
PA ImagesThe Daily Mail report that the director of Medina hospital in Mogadishu, Dr Mohamed Yusuf, has said that his hospital is overwhelmed by both dead and wounded and that this is ‘unlike anything in the past’.
Rescue workers are reportedly combing through the Safari Hotel which is close to Somalia’s foreign ministry and was destroyed in the blast for survivors.
President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed has declared three days of mourning and urged his citizens to donate blood to help those affected by the blast.
PA ImagesAbdirahman Omar, Somalia’s information minister, has claimed the explosion is the largest the city has ever seen.
He claimed that the only way to defeat their ‘merciless and brutal’ enemies was to unite against them.
The US has also condemned the attacks, saying ‘such cowardly attacks reinvigorate the commitment of the United States to assist our Somali and African Union partners to combat the scourge of terrorism.’
PA ImagesThis year the American army has increased drone strikes against al-Shabab who are currently fighting a brutal war against both the Somali military and African Union forces in the country.
The blast occured just two days after the head of the US Africa Command visited Mogadishu to meet with the Somalian president.
More of a concept than a journalist, Tom Percival was forged in the bowels of Salford University from which he emerged grasping a Masters in journalism.
Since then his rise has been described by himself as ‘meteoric’ rising to the esteemed rank of Social Editor at UNILAD as well as working at the BBC, Manchester Evening News, and ITV.
He credits his success to three core techniques, name repetition, personality mirroring, and never breaking off a handshake.