MOGADISHU (KAAB TV) – A Turkey medical plane on Sunday airlifted approximately 20 injured Somali government officials wounded in the SYL Hotel terror attack.
Health Minister Ali Haji Adam and Information Minister Daud Aweys were present at the airport, while President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud briefly saw the injured officials as he prepared to depart for Eritrea on Sunday.
The 20 injured officials sustained various injuries as a result of the Al-Shabaab attack on the SYL Hotel in Mogadishu on Thursday night. The attack, along with the siege by the militant group, lasted 17 hours before being ended by the U.S.-trained counter-terror unit known as Gaashaan.
At least 31 were killed and 46 others were injured.
Masuuliyiin ku dhaawacmay weerarkii SYL oo loo qaaday dalka dibadiisa
Ku dhawaad 20 qof oo Mas’uuliyiin dowladeed ah oo ku dhaawacmay qaraxii Hotel SYL ayaa maanta loo qaadayaa dalka Turkiga si halkaas loogu soo daaweeyo.
Dadka la qaaday dhaawacyadooda waxaa ku jira afhayeenka… pic.twitter.com/4odODDIqQt
— Kaab Somali TV (@KaabTV) March 17, 2024
Among those injured are government spokesperson Farhan Jimale, Turkish-trained special police commander Col. Abdihamid Abdullahi (also known as Fanah), Banadir Regional Administration secretary Feysal Arale, and several district-level officials. Additionally, six lawmakers of the Somali Federal Parliament and a local journalist were injured in the attack.
Roads were closed on Sunday morning as the injured persons were transported to the Mogadishu Aden Adde Airport.
Somali health officials stated that local hospitals lack the capacity and expertise to treat bombing injuries.