Death toll rises to 20 in triple attack perpetrated by Al Shabaab in Somalia

MADRID, 4 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The death toll in the triple bomb attack perpetrated on Monday by the terrorist group Al Shabaab in the city of Beledueine, in central Somalia, has risen to 20, including two senior regional officials, authorities have confirmed.

Witnesses quoted by the Somali news portal Goobjoog News have indicated that two car bombs exploded initially in the city, while a third exploded hours later, attacks that have also caused dozens of injuries.

The Beledueine Police Chief has stated that the search and rescue of victims continues in the area. "We are in mourning, but we are not crying. We will take revenge on Al Shabaab," he said, hours after the terrorist group claimed responsibility for the attack.

For his part, the Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, has condemned the attack and has transferred his condolences to the relatives of the victims, according to his spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric. He also reaffirmed the UN's commitment to working with regional and international actors "to support the Somali people and government on their path towards a peaceful Somalia."

The Somali authorities have increased their offensives against Al Shabaab in recent weeks and the African country's Interior Minister, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, recently confirmed that Turkish-made 'Bayraktar TB2' drones are involved in them.

Somalia is facing an increase in the number of attacks by the Islamist militia, linked to the terrorist organization Al Qaeda, both in the capital and in other areas of the south of the country, which has led the president to promise a reinforcement of the security operations to deal with the threat.