Turkish families mourn lives lost in Somali attack

CORUM, Turkey

Turkish families in the northern province of Corum and the capital Ankara are mourning for their loved ones who lost their lives in Saturday's deadly terror attack in Somalia.

The suicide attack killed five people, including two Turkish nationals Selami Aydogdu and Erdinc Genc, the employees of a Turkish company in the Somalian capital Mogadishu, and injured several others.

Genc, 44, a father of three, was rushed to the Recep Tayyip Erdogan Hospital in Mogadishu for treatment, but he succumbed to his wounds.

His wife, Melek Genc told Anadolu Agency that the place where her husband was working was guarded by soldiers.

"When I could not reach my husband [via phone], we turned on the TV and in the news we learned that there was a terrorist attack in the place where my husband was working. Later, we learned from our other acquaintances that my husband was injured and rushed to the hospital. Then the bitter news came," she said.

Selami Aydogdu, 22, was married six months before the incident.

Omer Aydogdu, the father of Selami Aydogdu, was also injured in the attack.

Arzu Han, Selami Aydogdu’s mother-in-law, told Anadolu Agency that he was a very kindhearted person and they were grieving his loss.

Stressing that her daughter and Selami Aydogdu loved each other since childhood, she said her daughter is taking anti-anxiety drugs after learning about the death.

Zafer Han, his father-in-law, said that he was "a perfect, cheerful and hardworking child".

Saying that his daughter Irem was unwilling to let her husband go to Somalia, he said that they talked to him over them phone on Friday.

Workers return

Four workers who were injured in the incident and bodies of the deceased were brought to the country by a Turkish Airlines (THY) plane.

Omer Aydogdu told reporters at the Istanbul Airport that the attack took place during the asphalt paving activity.

“We were working together, father and son. I lost my son in the attack. It's such a great pain,” he said, adding that there are other Turks working there, but their places are safer.

"We witnessed the terrorist attack. My situation is a little better, but my friend's is more severe. We lost our brothers, it is very sad. I wish it did not happen, but there is nothing to do,” said Yavuz Ercan, another injured worker.

The Turkish company was working on the Mogadishu-Afgoye road project and contributing “to the development and prosperity of Somalia", the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Saturday.

The bombing took place in the village of Lafole, located some 22 kilometers (13 miles) southwest of the capital Mogadishu, according to a local police officer.

The construction project is funded by the Qatari government and is being carried out by the Turkish company.

The Somalia-based al-Shabaab, which is affiliated with al-Qaeda, claimed responsibility for the attack.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar