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[Paxiecrunchle]

In Somalia, a truck loaded with explosives detonated in front of a hotel in the nation's capital, Mogadishu, near a busy crossing with ministries, shops, and restaurants.

At least 230 people were killed, and 275 injured, making it the most lethal terrorist attack in the country so far.
Government has stated that al Shabaab is behind the attacks, and has called upon the people to donate blood at the overcrowded hospitals. The president himself joined the queues to donate blood.

Rescue services have been searching the collapsed debris of buildings all day to find victims buried under them.
Many of the victims can not be identified due to the force of the explosion.

2 hours after the attack, another car bomb went off in the city, but no one was injured despite heavy damage to buildings.

Sounds like they need better security aound the capital, also this is why I have misanthropic episodes, I get disgusted with my own species because of stuff like this.

[Karnewarrior]

In Somalia, a truck loaded with explosives detonated in front of a hotel in the nation's capital, Mogadishu, near a busy crossing with ministries, shops, and restaurants.

At least 230 people were killed, and 275 injured, making it the most lethal terrorist attack in the country so far.
Government has stated that al Shabaab is behind the attacks, and has called upon the people to donate blood at the overcrowded hospitals. The president himself joined the queues to donate blood.

Rescue services have been searching the collapsed debris of buildings all day to find victims buried under them.
Many of the victims can not be identified due to the force of the explosion.

2 hours after the attack, another car bomb went off in the city, but no one was injured despite heavy damage to buildings.

What's al Shabaab about? Another heretical islamic cult?

[Culise]

In Somalia, a truck loaded with explosives detonated in front of a hotel in the nation's capital, Mogadishu, near a busy crossing with ministries, shops, and restaurants.

At least 230 people were killed, and 275 injured, making it the most lethal terrorist attack in the country so far.
Government has stated that al Shabaab is behind the attacks, and has called upon the people to donate blood at the overcrowded hospitals. The president himself joined the queues to donate blood.

Rescue services have been searching the collapsed debris of buildings all day to find victims buried under them.
Many of the victims can not be identified due to the force of the explosion.

2 hours after the attack, another car bomb went off in the city, but no one was injured despite heavy damage to buildings.

What's al Shabaab about? Another heretical islamic cult?

I wont touch the "heretical" part since that depends on which branch of Islam you believe to be "properly orthodox" and I sure as heck won't poke my nose into that kind of argument, but they're pretty much your standard al-Qaeda-aligned (albeit with the occasional internal strife over degree), Sunni jihadist, Islamist militia.  They've been in reported decline for the past...oh, half-decade since they got their noses bloodied in Mogadishu at least, but they do maintain significant influence and outright control as a state actor in significant swaths of rural south Somalia. 

[Reelya]

Also, Al Shabaab was the youth militia wing of the Islamic rulers of Mogadishu ("Union of Islamic Courts") until 2006. They were pushed out by international forces led by Ethiopia, the main Islamic leadership then collapsed, and then Al Shabaab came into their own. Basically they're a bit like the Taliban I guess then: you have a bunch of young activists left over after the original elder Islamic leadership is all gone.

[Arx]

Sounds like they need better security aound the capital

You know, first world countries can't prevent car bombings. How exactly is a nation crippled by civil war (insurgents still hold territory in parts of rural Somalia [insert "Somalia has non-rural regions?"]) supposed to get "better security around the capital"?

[Zangi]

Sounds like they need better security aound the capital

You know, first world countries can't prevent car bombings. How exactly is a nation crippled by civil war (insurgents still hold territory in parts of rural Somalia [insert "Somalia has non-rural regions?"]) supposed to get "better security around the capital"?

Probably checkpoints everywhere.  Police/military state when?

[RedKing]

They HAVE checkpoints everywhere. Some locally manned, some manned by African Union troops. The fact that this got through indicates either the checkpoint quality is poor, or they have some corrupt folks who are either helping al-Shabaab or taking money to cast a blind eye.

[ChairmanPoo]

Can the thread title get changed? I get an earworm with Shakira's "Waka Waka" song everytime I read "Meanwhile in Africa". I think "African news thread" would be less likely to trigger this earworm.

[scriver]

Africa Thread: Hips Don't Lie

[Maximum Spin]

I BLESS THE RAINS DOWN IN AFRICA

[RedKing]

Hurry boy, she's waiting there for you.

[martinuzz]

Can the thread title get changed? I get an earworm with Shakira's "Waka Waka" song everytime I read "Meanwhile in Africa". I think "African news thread" would be less likely to trigger this earworm.

I just listened to the song. I have no clue why the thread title would make you think of that song. I feel for you though, if you get that earwormed, so I'll see what I can do.

[ChairmanPoo]

Because I vividly imagined Shakira singing "waka waka hey hey! Meanwhile in Africa!"

(Btw I wasnt serious about changing it. Ie:  I didnt deeply care about having Shakira stuck in my head.)

[martinuzz]

Perhaps you can replace the Africa-Shakira link in your head with this music instead, much better. Do watch the video clip that goes with it, it's pure art.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIXUgtNC4Kc

[RedKing]

I thought we were doing a decent job of putting Toto in his head. At least, it put it in *my* head. Been humming that damn song since yesterday....