Turkey on Thursday denounced a suicide attack on the Police Academy in Somali’s capital Mogadishu that claimed the lives of at least 17 people.
“We strongly condemn this vicious terrorist attack that aims to undermine the security and stability of Somalia,” said the Foreign Ministry on its website.
“We wish God’s mercy upon those who lost their lives in the attacks, convey our condolences to the families who lost their loved ones, and wish a speedy recovery to the wounded.
“Turkey will continue to stand by the Somali people and its Government in the fight against terrorism and support international efforts to this end.”
The suicide bomber infiltrated police checkpoints and blew himself up on Thursday amid parade rehearsal for Dec. 20, the anniversary of Somalia’s national police force.
“We can confirm that at least 17 people were killed and 17 others wounded after a suicide attack targeted General Kahiye Police Academy,” Abdullahi Hamid, state minister for the office of the prime minister, told local media.
Somali militant group al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack.
Thursday’s suicide attack came two months after a truck bomb attack in central Mogadishu that killed more than 400 people.
In September Turkey opened its largest overseas military training academy in Mogadishu, a facility with the capacity to train more than 1,500 troops at a time.
