UAE condemns attack on Turkish contractors in Somalia

ABU DHABI - The UAE has strongly condemned the bomb attack in Somalia that claimed several lives and left many injured.

The bomb struck near the town of Afgoye about 30 kilometers west of the capital (Mogadishu), killing four people and wounding several others including several Turkish nationals, said local police officer Abdirahman Adan.

In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the UAE expressed its strong condemnation of these criminal acts and its permanent rejection of all forms of violence aimed at destabilizing security and stability that is incompatible with religious and human values and principles.

The Ministry condoled with the families and relatives of the victims and wished a speedy recovery for all the injured.

Four people were killed in a car bombing in Somalia on Saturday that apparently targeted Turkish engineers working on a road near the capital Mogadishu, police and witnesses said.

The attack was claimed by the Al Qaeda-linked militant group Al Shabaab, which has stepped up its activities in Somalia and neighboring Kenya in recent weeks.

"The blast was huge, it destroyed a container used by the Turkish engineers who work on the Afgoye road construction," said witness Muhidin Yusuf.

"There were police who were guarding the Turkish engineers and several other people gathering near the checkpoint where the temporary shelter is located," said another witness Ahmed Said.

"I saw the dead bodies of several (people) and Turkish workers who were wounded in the blast."

The terrorist group, which has fought for more than a decade to topple the Somali government, has carried out a series of attacks in recent weeks including a massive car bombing in Mogadishu on December 28 that killed 81 people.

And on January 5, the militants stormed a military base used by US forces in Kenya's coastal Lamu region, killing three Americans.

Last week, Al Shabaab warned that Kenya will "never be safe", threatening tourists and calling for more attacks on US interests.