Medics work at the scene of a bomb blast in Mogadishu, capital of Somalia, Nov. 9, 2018. At least 15 people were killed in triple bomb blasts that rocked Somalia's capital Mogadishu on Friday, police and witnesses said. (Xinhua/Faisal Isse)
MOGADISHU, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- The number of people who perished in the triple terrorist attacks in Mogadishu on Friday has risen to 50 while 58 others are nursing injuries in various city hospitals, police and medical sources said on Saturday.
"More bodies were found under the rubble and the death toll now stands at 50 people. We don't know if there are other people still under the rubble but we are trying our best to recover those missing," a police officer who requested anonymity told Xinhua.
The city's main hospital Madina received majority of the dead and injured from the blasts which rocked the central business district area Friday.
"We received 32 injured people while several others including the dead were booked in other hospitals," said Mohamed Yusuf, director of Madina Hospital.
Three huge blasts went off around KM 4 Junction Friday afternoon which the militant group al-Shabab said was targeting Sahafi hotel which is popular with politicians and was once a safe haven for journalists covering the Somali civil war.
The owner of the Sahafi hotel identified as Abdifatah Abdirashid was among those killed. Abdirashid had inherited the hotel from his father who was killed in a similar attack in 2015.
Pictures from the scene showed mangled wrecks of vehicles which were plying the route.
The UN and other foreign countries have condemned the attacks which came barely a month after Somalia marked one year since the October 14, 2017 truck bombing which claimed over 500 lives.
Meanwhile, the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has condemned the bombings on Sahafi Hotel and CID headquarters in the restive capital, Mogadishu.
In a statement issued in Mogadishu on Saturday, the AU mission vowed to intensify its joint operations with the Somali government to degrade terrorists and other militant groups.
"AMISOM also calls on the public to remain vigilant and work with the security forces in preventing future senseless attacks by terrorists and restoring lasting peace in Somalia," it said.
The AU mission which has intensified its onslaught against the militants also sent its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved and wished the wounded a speedy recovery.
