Somalia’s death toll rises to 358 as ‘state of war’ planned

The country’s information minister Abdirahman Osman said 56 people are still missing from Saturday’s lorry bombing.

Death toll climbs to 358 after Somalia's worst ever terror attack

Thousands of anguished Somalis gathered to pray at the site of the country’s deadliest attack as the death toll rose to 358 with dozens still missing.

Somalia’s president is set to announce a “state of war” against the al-Shabab extremist group blamed for the bombing, the prime minister said.

The United States is expected to play a supporting role in the new offensive expected to be announced on Saturday by President Mohamed Abdullahi, a military official said.

Thousands of Somalis gather to pray at the site of the country's deadliest attack and to mourn the hundreds of victims — Thousands of Somalis gather to pray at the site of the country’s deadliest attack and to mourn the hundreds of victims (Farah Abdi Warsameh/AP

Somalia’s army spokesman Captain Abdullahi Iman said the offensive involving thousands of troops will try to push al-Shabab fighters out of their strongholds in the Lower Shabelle and Middle Shabelle regions where many deadly attacks on Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, and on Somali and African Union bases have been launched.

The move came as the US military said it had resumed its fight against al-Shabab with a drone strike.

The extremist group has not commented on Saturday’s truck bombing in Mogadishu, which Somali intelligence officials have said was meant to target the city’s heavily fortified international airport where many countries have their embassies.

The massive bomb, which security official said weighed between 600 kilograms and 800 kilograms (1,300 pounds and 1,700 pounds), instead detonated in a crowded street.

Somalia’s information minister Abdirahman Osman said late Friday that 56 were people still missing. Another 228 people were wounded, and 122 had been airlifted for treatment in Turkey, Sudan and Kenya.

A Somali man looking for news of his missing brother looks at grave boards at a cemetery in Mogadishu (Farah Abdi Warsameh/AP)

“This pain will last for years,” said a sheikh leading the prayers at the bombing site, as long lines of mourners stood in front of flattened or tangled buildings.

Since the election of the country’s Somali-American president in February, the government has announced a number of military offensives against al-Shabab, only to end them weeks later with no explanation. Experts believe that has given the extremists breathing space and emboldened them in their guerrilla attacks.

The US has stepped up military involvement in the long-fractured Horn of Africa nation since US President Donald Trump approved expanded operations against the group early this year. The US has carried out at least 19 drone strikes in Somalia since January, according to The Bureau of Investigative Journalism.

The latest U.S. drone strike occurred on Monday about 35 miles (56km) south-west of the capital, the US Africa Command told the AP. It said it was still assessing the results.

Earlier this week, in response to questions about the massive truck bombing, a Pentagon spokesman said the United States has about 400 troops in Somalia.