Turkey condemns terror attacks in Kenya, Somalia

ANKARA-Anadolu Agency

Turkish Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned terror attacks in Kenya and Somalia.

“We have learned with deep sorrow that the terrorist attack perpetrated in the Wajir County, Kenya, resulted in loss of the lives of eight police officers,” the ministry said in a statement on June 15.

“We strongly condemn this heinous attack and extend our condolences to those who lost their lives and to the people and Government of Kenya,” it added.

Eight police officers patrolling the Kenya-Somali border on June 15 were killed in an apparent al-Shabaab bomb attack along the porous Kenya-Somali border.

Five officers were also injured in the improvised explosive device (IED) attack in the Konton area of northeastern Kenya.

Somali-based al-Qaeda affiliated al-Shabaab militants have long carried out similar attacks in Kenya targeting security officers. In 2018 more than 100 Kenya police were killed in separate IED attacks along the porous Kenyan-Somali border.

Turkey also condemned terror attacks in the Somalian capital Mogadishu that killed 8 people.

“We received the news with deep sorrow that the terrorist attack perpetrated in Mogadishu, resulted in loss of many lives and left several others wounded,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“We strongly condemn this heinous attack, wish Allah’s mercy upon those who lost their lives, a speedy recovery to the wounded and extend our condolences to the brotherly people and Government of Somalia,” the statement read.

At least nine people were killed and more than 25 wounded on June 15 as a result of two separate car bomb attacks in Mogadishu.

The first attack targeted a security checkpoint near the parliament building and killed eight people. The second blast - on a main road leading to the airport - killed one person.